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Housing benefit questions answered

These are some of the most common questions we are asked about housing benefit. See also:

Applying for housing benefit

See applying for housing benefit

Can I apply for housing benefit?
If you are struggling to pay your rent or your council tax you could apply for benefits. The amount of benefit you are entitled to will depend upon many factors. When we receive your application we will do a calculation to find out how much you are entitled to. This will take into account factors such as:

Your income
Any savings or shares you have
Anyone living with you
Other benefits you may be receiving
How many rooms you are entitled to
The area you live in

How can I apply?

Download an application form

How long will it take for my application to be processed?
Once we have received your completed application and received the necessary evidence we will aim process your application within 14 days.

I don't want to send original documents in the post - what can I do?
You can take them to our Witney town centre shop or Chipping Norton visitor information centre at The Guildhall.

Location details

The staff there will take photocopies of your evidence and stamp them to certify they have seen the original copies before sending them through to the benefits section.

How much benefit am I entitled to?
Use our online benefits calculator for an estimate of how much benefit you could be awarded:

Online benefits calculator

Can I apply for benefits if I am self-employed?
You can still apply for benefits if you are self employed. We will need to see evidence of your accounts for the previous financial years to support your application as well as other relevant evidence. See the checklist on the back of the application form.

Can you explain my decision notice?
Our decision notices are generated automatically by our computer system when we decide an application or changes are made to your benefit entitlement. The letters contain a lot of detailed information and can be confusing. For an explanation of your decision notice see:

Decision letters explained

Can I appeal the rate of Local Housing Allowance?
The calculation for Local Housing Allowance begins with working out how many rooms you are entitled to and how much rent you should be paying according to the Broad Market Rental Area (BRMA) you live in. The values of properties within the BRMA's are worked out by the Rent Service and you cannot appeal against these figures.

The rest of the calculation takes into account your income, capital and other people living with you. Decisions made by the Council concerning these factors can be appealed against. For information on this process see:

Appeal a benefits decision

What if the rent I pay doesn't match the amount of housing benefit I receive?
The LHA amount set by the Rent Service is the average rent for a property of the same size within your area. This is the value we use in our calculation - not the actual rent you pay.

If you pay more rent than the amount you are awarded you will need to pay the difference.

How many bedrooms am I entitled to under LHA rules?
The amount of LHA awarded depends on the number of rooms needed. Single applicants under 25 are eligible for a shared room rate, although this will apply to applicants aged under 35 from January 2012. The room rates for other applicants are worked out as follows, one bedroom allowed for;

A married or unmarried couple
Single person 16 years or older
Two same sex children who are under 16 years old
Two same or opposite sex children under 10
A child under 16 years old

Changes in circumstances

Do I need to inform you of a change in my circumstances?
Any benefit you are awarded is calculated using the information provided on your initial application form. If any of this information changes while you are still receiving benefit you must inform us within a month of the change, so we can recalculate your entitlement.

Report a change in circumstances

I've informed the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) about a change in my circumstances - will they tell you?
Generally the DWP will not inform us of changes reported to them so you will need to tell us as well.