How benefit is calculated
When assessing Housing Benefit entitlement we take into
account the following things:
- Income, how much money you have coming in.
- Capital, your savings and investments. Also property & land
(other than your home).
- Your personal circumstances, for example, your age, how many
children you have, whether you are disabled, whether you have other
people living with you who, the law considers, do not depend on you
for support.
- The maximum Local Housing Allowance (LHA) that is relevant to
your circumstances. Please be aware, in some
circumstances Local Housing Allowance does not apply and your
Housing Benefit will be assessed using figures provided by the Rent
Service. More LHA information
If you are receiving Income
Support or Jobseeker's Allowance income-based
If you are receiving Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance
income-based, you will usually be entitled to receive full benefit,
up to the maximum LHA level for your circumstances or the maximum
fair rent decided by The Rent Service. However, if you have
any non-dependants living with you (for example, an adult son,
daughter or a parent), we may make a deduction from your
benefit. More
information about non-dependants and other member's in your
householder.
If you are not in receipt of
Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance
income-based
If you are not in receipt of Income Support or Jobseeker's
Allowance income-based, we will work out your benefit based on the
money that you have coming in, the savings and investments you have
and your family circumstances.
So we can work out your benefit, we need you to give us proof of
all the income and capital you, or your partner, have.
If you have any non-dependants living with you, you will also
have to give us details of their income and savings. If you
do not we will have to take the highest deduction the law allows
from your benefit.
Income includes such things as earnings, pensions, benefits and
maintenance that you may receive.
Capital includes savings, investments, cash as well as
money held in a current account, stocks, shares and other
property or land.
For details on what evidence is needed in support of a claim for
Benefit, please click on the link below:
Evidence needed
in support of a claim for Housing Benefit.
Applicable Amount
If you are not in receipt of Income Support or Job Seekers
Allowance income-based your income will be assessed against an
'Applicable Amount'. This is a needs allowance made up of
allowances and premiums based on your personal & family
circumstances. These allowances & premiums are set by Central
Government. The higher your net income is above your Applicable
Amount, the less benefit you will be entitled to.
