Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Forms

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Application Form

To claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (including Second Adult Rebate), download the main application form attached to this page and any of the extra forms that apply to you. You will need to print the forms and complete them by hand before sending them to us.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit - Appointee Form

If a customer is unable to act for themselves to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit then someone else can take responsibility for dealing with the customer's affairs. The customer would no longer deal with any aspect of their claim.

Some customers only require support to deal with their Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit perhaps because they are house bound, or have difficulty talking over the telephone due to their hearing. Here an appointee is not appropriate as the customer only needs a helper. The customer retains responsibility for dealing with their own Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit claim.

If you already have a legally appointed Appointee then please tell us who they are.

To apply for an appointee/helper please print off and complete the Appointee application form attached to this page.

Proof of Earnings form

Complete the Proof of Earnings form if you or your partner are working and you are unable to provide pay slips with your application.

Self-Employed Earnings information

Complete the Self-Employed Earnings information form if you or your partner are self-employed. Self-employed means you run your own business or work as a sub-contractor and are responsible for your own tax and National Insurance.

You will also need to give us proof of your earnings and expenses:

• If you have been trading for at least a year and have prepared accounts (audited or otherwise) for the last financial year you will need to provide these.

• If you have been trading for less than a year or do not have prepared accounts you will need to provide your receipts and details of sales/takings/income, organised and in date order.
  

Student Information

Complete the Student Information form if you or your partner are a student.

You will also need to provide your Financial Notification from Student Finance Direct or the Notification award from the NHS Business Services Authority.

Childcare Charges Form

Complete the Childcare Costs form if you or your partner work full-time and pay childminding costs to a registered childminder, a registered nursery or play-scheme, or an after-school club. 

If you prefer, you can provide a letter from the person or organisation that looks after your children. If you provide a letter, it must include all the information on the form and be signed by the person or organisation.

Proof of Rent Form

Give the Proof of Rent form to your landlord to complete if you rent your home from a private landlord and you do not have a Tenancy or Licence Agreement.

Sharing Information Agreement

Complete the Sharing Information Agreement to give permission for information to be disclosed to your landlord.

You do not need to complete the form if you have signed Part 11 'Sharing information with your landlord'

Have Housing Benefit paid into your bank account

If you are currently being paid your or your tenant's Housing Benefit by cheque, you can ask us to make payments direct into your bank account. These are known as BACS payments. There are separate BACS forms for tenants and landlords attached to this page. Please print off and complete one of the forms, then return it to the address at the top of this page as soon as possible. 

Change in Circumstances Form

You can telephone us on 01302 735336 to report a change in your circumstances and we will be able to tell you if we need proof of that change from you.

You can write to us at the address at the top of the page or use the Change in Circumstances form attached to this page to tell us about any change that happens after you have claimed benefit. You will need to print the form and sign it, before sending the paper copy to us.

Not happy with your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Decision

Where a customer is not happy with the decision we have made about their benefit entitlement they can ask us to look at it again. To do this please fill in the Dispute Form attached to this page.

More information about disputes can be found on the Dispute page.

Free School Meals

To claim Free School Meals you can telephone the Free School Meals team on 01302 735336 and complete a claim during the call with a member of staff. Alternatively you can complete the application form that is attached to this page. You will need to print the form and complete it by hand before sending it to us.