Housing benefit

Use the entitledto: Benefits calculator (opens new window) to find out if you qualify. The calculator can be used to assess entitlement to housing benefit and council tax reduction. It is only an estimate based on the information you supply.

Find out more about the housing benefit scheme (opens new window)

 If you believe you may be eligible for housing benefit, you can make a claim online through Wiltshire Benefits Online - Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction (opens new window).

Use Wiltshire Benefits Online - Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction (opens new window) to make a claim.

At the completion of the e-form, you should ensure that you read the evidence checklist in the Housing Benefit download section. This will detail the information required to support your new claim, which must be provided within one month. Any delay in providing the evidence we ask for will delay your payment. Note we can only accept original evidence of identification, this can't be sent via email.

You can provide proof:

• By emailing scanned documents to benefits@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window)
  include your claim reference number or National Insurance number
  the document or photo should be less than 10mb in size
• By post including your claim reference number or National Insurance number to Wiltshire Council, Revenues and Benefits, Monkton Park, Chippenham SN15 1ER

If you are unable to make a claim using the e-form, we can also accept telephone claims, please contact us on 0300 456 0110 to make a claim.

If you are a private tenant, we will use the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to decide the maximum amount of housing benefit that we can pay you. It is based on the location and size of accommodation you require, rather than the rent that is being charged. The amount of housing benefit you will receive will depend on the LHA rate that is applied after also taking into account your financial and household circumstances.

Use the LHA website to help you:

• Calculate how many bedrooms your family is entitled to (opens new window)
• See the current LHA rates for any area of the country (opens new window)
• Find out how the scheme works (opens new window)

Circumstances where the LHA does not apply:

• You live in a property which is owned by the council
• You are a tenant of a Registered Social Landlord (this includes most housing associations).
• You live in supported housing.
• Your tenancy started before 15 January 1989.
• You live in a caravan, houseboat or hostel.
• The amount of housing benefit we will pay you is based upon your individual circumstances, so the actual amount you receive may be less than the LHA figure.

If you believe you may be eligible for Housing Benefit, you can claim online (opens new window).

The amount of housing benefit you receive will depend on your personal circumstances, including your income, savings, who else lives in your household and the level of your rent.

Spare bedrooms

The amount of housing benefit you get could be reduced if you have one or more spare bedrooms. For people aged between 16 and Pension Credit eligibility age, if you are assessed as having at least one extra bedroom in your house, your housing benefit could be reduced (opens new window).

Housing benefit payment

If you're a council tenant, any housing benefit will be paid direct to your rent account. As a housing association tenant, you can receive your housing benefit direct to your bank, four-weekly in arrears, or, you can opt for payments to be made direct to your landlord.

If you believe you may be eligible for Housing Benefit, you can claim online (opens new window).

Tell us immediately if something changes

If there are any changes in your household or personal circumstances after you make an application for housing benefit and/or council tax reduction, you must let us know immediately. Don't rely on someone else to tell us.

How to tell us about a change

The easiest way to let us know is to phone us on 0300 456 0110 and tell us what has changed. We will then be able to tell you if we need you to send us evidence of the change, or we might be able to change your claim without you needing to do anything else. If you are unable to phone us, see other ways you can contact us - see below.

Providing proof

When reporting a change of circumstance, you may need to provide proof of the change and when it happened.

You can provide proof:

• By emailing your scanned documents to benefits@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window)
  • Include your claim reference number or National Insurance number
  • The document or photo should be less than 10mb in size
• By post including your claim reference number or National Insurance number to Wiltshire Council, Revenues and Benefits, Monkton Park, Chippenham SN15 1ER

If housing benefit or the housing element of universal credit does not meet the full value of your rent, we may be able to award a Discretionary Housing Payment. You can only apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment if you receive housing benefit or the housing element of universal credit.

The Discretionary Housing Payments scheme has a limited amount of money each year, and is therefore only awarded to customers with special circumstances. To find out more about the Discretionary Housing Payment, see our policy in the downloads section. You will also find an application form to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment and, if you receive the housing element of universal credit, you will also need to complete the form.

When we have dealt with your claim for housing benefit, we will send you a benefit decision notice. This notice will show the information we have used to work out your benefit. You should check this notice carefully. If you do not understand the notice, contact us immediately.

If you think that the decision is wrong, you should write to us within one calendar month of the date of the decision notice and ask us to reconsider the decision. You should also set out why you think that the decision is wrong. We will then review the decision and send you a new decision notice either confirming or amending the original decision.

If you wish to appeal to the Independent Appeals Tribunal, you must write to us  within one calendar month of the date of the original decision notice, or, if you have already asked for a reconsideration, within one calendar month of the new decision notice. Any appeal must be completed in writing  and must set out the reasons why you think the decision is wrong. Be aware that it may be some months before your appeal is heard by the Independent Appeals Tribunal.

If you are still receiving housing benefit, the overpayment will be taken from your future housing benefit payments at a set rate. If you are not in receipt of housing benefit, you can pay it back online (opens new window). Please have your invoice number with you. For other methods of payment, see the back of your invoice.

If you are having difficulty paying the housing benefit overpayment, don't ignore it; contact us.

We use the information you give us to process your claim for housing benefit, council tax reduction, or both.

We may check some of the information with other sources within the council, the Valuation Office Agency, other councils and government agencies, such as The Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenues and Customs and the Home Office.

We may also get information about you from certain other organisations, or give them information about you, to:

• Ensure the information is accurate
• Prevent or detect crime
• Protect public funds

These organisations include government departments, other local authorities, and private sector organisations such as banks and organisations that may lend you money.

Ensure you contact the benefits team  to advise of any changes that may affect your claim. The council may pursue the collection of overpaid amounts through external bodies if necessary.