Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit - FS17

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit - Factsheet 17

Housing Benefit helps people with their rent‚ and with rates in Northern Ireland (but this factsheet does not cover rate rebates). Council Tax Benefit provides help with Council Tax in England‚ Scotland and Wales. Both benefits are related to income and savings and are administered by local authorities‚ although the rules are set by the UK Parliament.

N.B. This factsheet does not cover Housing and Council Tax Benefit for people under 60 or people with children. The rules are very different‚ so if you are under 60 contact a local advice centre.

The information in this factsheet is correct for the period April 2009 – March 2010. Benefit rates and other figures are expected to increase again in April 2010‚ but rules and figures sometimes change during the year.

The information given in this factsheet is applicable in England and Wales. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Readers in Northern Ireland should contact their national Age Concern organisation for information specific to where they live.

Further information

Please download Factsheet 17 at the top right of this screen for detailed information.

Housing Benefit - case study

"We are now starting to see a light. Things are starting to work out."
Council Tax Benefit - case study

90-year-old war veteran Leslie was living off less than £100 a week before he came to Age Concern for advice about benefits.
More Money in Your Pocket

Our national campaign to help older people claim their rightful benefits.