A person may be eligible to claim council tax or housing benefit if they are on a low income or in receipt of income support/job seekers allowance/Pension Credit.

Council Tax benefit is available to everyone who qualifies - not just Council tenants - if you are on a low income you should apply for council tax benefit. To claim Council Tax Benefit the person must be the liable person or the partner of the liable person for Council Tax.

People who are liable to pay rent for the property they reside in can claim Housing Benefit.

You will need to complete an application form. Evidence of your identity, all income, all savings or other capital and your national insurance number must be provided. This information is also required for your partner if you have one. Details of anyone else living in your household are also required.

• If your savings are £6,000 or less they are ignored.
• If your savings are between £6,000 and £16,000, they are taken into account.
• For every £250 (or part of) between £6,000 and £16,000 we will have to add 1 to your weekly income, unless you are over 60, in which case we add 1 for each £500 (or part of).
• If your savings are more than £16,000 you cannot claim.
• We do not count any actual interest you get on your savings.

See if you would be eligible for any Housing or Council Tax Benefits here
Start a new Housing or Council Tax benefit claim

It is very important that you continue to pay your Rent and Council Tax. You may receive little or no benefit and if you do not pay you may fall in to arrears.

Normally, we take a certain amount off your weekly Housing Benefit for each non-dependant who lives with you. This amount is called a non-dependant deduction. The amount we take off your benefit depends on the circumstances of the non-dependant and how much income they get. The Government sets non-dependant deductions and normally changes them every year.

A non-dependant is someone aged 18 or over who lives with you as part of your family but is not your partner. Examples of non-dependants are adult sons and daughters, elderly relatives or friends, boarders, sub-tenants and joint tenants.

The 'applicable amount' is the amount the Government says you need to live on each week. These amounts are set by the Government and normally change every year. It is made up of three parts:

1. An amount for you and your partner, if you have one.
2. An amount for any dependent children in your family.
3. An amount called a premium to help with special needs, for example, if you have children or if someone in your family is elderly or disabled.

The type of savings we count include: cash savings, building societies, savings, bank and post office savings, premium bonds, National Savings Certificates, stocks, shares and unit trusts, the value of any land or property you own apart from your home.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are normally awarded from the Monday after the day you claim.

You will not be entitled to Housing or Council Tax Benefit if any of the following apply:

• you are not the person liable to pay rent or Council Tax;
• you have more than £16,000 in savings unless you also receive Guaranteed Pension Credit;
• you are not a UK Citizen or you have not lived in the UK for the past 5 years;
• you are a full-time student, unless you are a full time student who is also receiving Income Support;
  or a lone parent or couple who are responsible for a child or foster child;
  or disabled;
  or under 19 and following a further (not higher) course of education;
  or aged 60 or more.