Payment of Housing Benefit

If a home is rented from a private landlord how we pay Housing Benefit (HB) depends on when the claim was made and the type of tenancy and landlord.

Claims made after 7th April 2008

Most claims made after this date will be paid under the Local Housing Allowance rules. 

Under the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rules we must pay Housing Benefit ( HB ) to the claimant. The Housing Benefit customer is no longer able to have their Housing Benefit paid to their landlord because that is their preferred method.  However, we are well aware that some people may have difficulty receiving the LHA payments and paying their rent.  In these circumstances, a safeguard may be applied.  The following list details some circumstances in which this safeguard may apply:

• If it is considered that a tenant is unlikely to pay their rent
• If the tenant has a history of bad debt
• If we think that the tenant cannot handle their own affairs, i.e due to age, mental / physical disabilities, addictions etc.
• If the tenant has been housed by the local authority due to homelessness.

In addition to the above, The Housing Benefit Regulations state circumstances in which Housing Benefit must or may be paid to the landlord.  Please speak to a customer advisor for more information.

If someone else looks after your money for you, or there is a power of attorney, payments can be made to the person who looks after your money, or the person with the power of attorney.

For more information on these safeguards and when they may or may not apply, please contact a Customer Advisor on (01527) 881288.

Please find below an application form to request that your Benefit is paid to your landlord.  Please note, in all circumstances evidence shall need to be provided in support of your request, i.e. doctors letters / proof of bad debt etc

Application for Direct Payment of LHA  (227.12 KB)

More information on Local Housing Allowances

If the Local Housing Allowance rules do not apply, there is more choice about who we can pay. A tenant is exempt from Local Housing Allowance rules for the following categories:

• claims made before 7th April 2008
• tenants of Registered Social Landlords; or
• tenants of Registered Housing Associations; or
• tenancies which started before 15 January 1989; or
• certain supported housing, where the landlord is a registered social landlord, charity or non profit making voluntary organisation, that provides the tenant with care, support or supervision; or
• hostel dwellers; or
• tenancies where the Rent Officer has decided that a substantial part of the rent is for board and attendance.

If the pre LHA rules apply a tenant can request that we pay either:

• themselves; or
• the landlord; or
• the landlord's agent.

Rent Arrears

If the tenant has rent arrears of 8 weeks or more, any Housing Benefit entitlement must be paid direct to the landlord. 

Frequency of payments

• Housing Benefit paid direct to the customer is paid 2 weekly, in arrears.
• Housing Benefit paid direct to the landlord is paid 4 weekly, in arrears.

Method of payment

Housing Benefit is paid directly into a nominated bank or building society.  If you do not have a bank account that will accept these payments, please click on the link below for details and information on basic bank accounts:

basic bank accounts

If you are unable to open a bank or building society account, Housing Benefit can be paid in the form of a crossed cheque.  Please be aware that crossed cheques can take several days to be cashed at some bank / building societies.  Bromsgrove District Council accept no responsibility for any delays it may take to cash a Housing Benefit cheque.

Bromsgrove District Council will not exchange Housing Benefit cheques for cash at any of its offices and are unable to pay Housing Benefit via any method other than those already stated above.