Renfrewshire Council

What we assess your claim on

We will assess your claim based on:

• The amount of money coming into your household
• The amount of any savings you (and your partner) have
• Your personal circumstances (such as your children who live with you, if you are disabled or if anyone else lives with you)
• The amount of rent you are charged

Benefit is assessed using rules agreed by parliament. The benefit awarded to you is intended to help with the cost of your rent, not living costs such as food and heating. The maximum that can be awarded is 100% of your eligible rent. This may not equal the rent you are being charged by your landlord.

The GOV.UK website has benefit calculators you can use to find out what help you can get, how to make a claim and how your benefit will be affected if you start work. The link is available in 'Related links'

How we pay your housing benefit

If you are a council tenant housing benefit is paid directly into your rent account. This reduces the amount you have to pay.

If you pay rent to a private landlord your housing benefit will be paid direct to your bank account by BACS payment. Payment is made four weekly in arrears.

Housing benefit will always be paid to you unless there are specific circumstances such as, you are 8 or more weeks behind in your rent, we consider that you will have difficulty managing your finances, or we do not think that you will pay your rent.