Payment Information
Last updated | 21/02/2008
Payment of Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate
If your application for either Council Tax Benefit or Second Adult rebate is successful, your benefit will granted to you in the form of a reduction to the amount of Council Tax which you would normally be required to pay.
The amount of Council Tax Benefit or Second Adult Rebate that you are entitled to from the start of your entitlement until the end of the financial year (31 March) will be deducted from your Council Tax Bill for that financial year. Once an award of benefit has been made, you will receive notification to advise how much you are entitled to and you will also receive a revised Council Tax bill to advise you of the new amount that you are required to pay.
Remember - Council Tax Benefit and Second Adult Rebate can only be awarded for the Council Tax which you are liable to pay. This benefit does not cover charges for water and sewerage.
When an award for Council Tax Benefit or Second Adult Rebate is made, it is done by taking into consideration the circumstances of your household at that time. Any changes to your household circumstances may effect your award to benefit.
'Click Here' to find out more about your responsibilities to report Changes in Circumstances.
Payment of Housing Benefit
If your application for Housing Benefit is successful, the method and frequency of payment will depend on the type of tenancy which you have.
Council Tenants
If you are a council tenant, your Housing Benefit will be paid to you in the form of a rebate. After we have assessed how much Housing Benefit your are entitled to, we will deduct this amount each week from the amount that you are normally required to pay in rent. This rebate will be awarded weekly in advance. If you do not qualify for full Housing Benefit, you will be required to pay the shortfall between the rent you are charged and your Housing Benefit award.
Housing Association and Private Landlord Tenants
Payment Must Be Issued to a Bank Account
If you rent your property from a Housing Association or from a private landlord, payments of Housing Benefit are always paid by automatic transfer into a bank account. This payment will either be made to yourself or your landlord depending on what you have advised us on your application form, although, the final decision regarding who will receive this payment lies with the authority. Payments are issued every 4 weeks and cover the previous 4 week's Housing Benefit entitlement, although, sometimes this may differ depending on your circumstances.
If you do not report changes in your circumstances which affect your entitlement, you may receive Housing Benefit that you are not entitled to. We refer to this as an overpayment. For more information on how to notify us of Changes in Your Circumstances, 'Click Here'.
For more information on Overpayments, 'Click Here'.
Payment Timetable - Housing Benefit for Housing Association and Private Tenants
The vast majority of Housing Benefit claims for the private sector are paid every 4 weeks and cover the previous four weeks Housing Benefit entitlement. We appreciate that some tenants pay their rent weekly, fortnightly, 4-weekly and monthly however, we cannot make payments on particular days and times of the month to suit specific agreements between tenants and landlords.
For a full schedule of when payments will be issued during 2008, 'Click Here'.
Local Housing Allowance
From April 2008, a new Housing Benefit scheme will be introduced known as Local Housing Allowance. More information on how Local Housing Allowance will effect the payment of Housing Benefit.
