Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit

We're here for your benefit!

Our purpose is to deliver a wide range of benefits and allowances for the people of Doncaster, and to enhance the quality of life of people who are disadvantaged.

We also work closely with other council departments, Government agencies and other organisations who provide help and advice to our customers. 

Warning: bogus telephone calls offering 'Council Tax rebates', visit 'Latest Benefit News' for more details.  

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit

You can claim for help with your rent and Council Tax if:

• you are on Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance, Employment & Support Allowance or Pension Credit, or
• you are on a low income (this includes benefits, Tax Credits, wages and people who are self-employed) and 
• you, or your partner, pay either (or both) rent or Council Tax (are responsible for the bill)

You cannot get help with rent and Council Tax if:

• you, or your partner between you, have more than £16,000 in savings (unless you receive Pension Credit Guarantee)

A partner is someone you are married to, or someone you live with as if you are married to them, or a civil partner, or someone you live with as if you are civil partners. 

Another type of Council Tax Benefit is based not on your personal details but on the details of the other people living in your home who are on a low income. For more details, see the information 'Council Tax Benefit - New Claim' and read about 'Second Adult Rebate'.

You can find more information on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit by using the links in the column to the left of this page.   

If you would like to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, you need to complete the form available on the following page: Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit Forms or by telephoning us, calling into our office (both details at the top of the page) or from any Customer Service Centre or St Leger Homes area housing office. 

Privacy Notice

Doncaster Council will use the information we hold about you to process your claim for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

We may pass the information to other agencies or organisations such as the Department for Work and Pensions or HM Revenues and Customs, as allowed by law.

We may check information you have provided, or information about you that someone else has provided, with other information held by us.

We may also get information about you from certain third parties, or give them information to:

• Prevent or detect crime;

• Protect public funds; and

• Make sure the information is correct.

These third parties include government departments, local authorities and private-sector companies such as banks, organisations that may lend you money and companies that assist us in fraud detection and prevention such as Credit Reference Agencies.

We will not give information about you to anyone else, or use information about you for other purposes, unless the law allows us to.

Latest Benefit News

You can get up to date news on recent and upcoming changes to the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit rules by visiting the link below:

Latest Benefit News 

Benefits Calculator

If you would like an estimate of how much benefit you might qualify for, please use the 'Benefits Adviser' calculator on the Direct.gov website. The calculator can provide you with information and entitlement advice for up to 28 benefits, pensions and credits. Please visit the link below to access the calculator:

Direct.gov Benefits Adviser

(When using the Benefits Adviser calculator, if you pay rent to a private landlord and need to know the Local Housing Allowance you may be entitled to, you can find this out on our Local Housing Allowance page). 

The benefits of working

Going back to work doesn't mean giving up all your benefits, find out more on our 'The benefits of working' page.