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Making a claim

If you are a ‘Working Age’ claimant, (those who have not reached the qualifying age for State Pension Credit) the ‘full service’ of Universal Credit is being rolled out across St Helens and should be completed by 18 July 2018. This means that in most circumstances, if you need help with paying your rent, you will no longer be able to claim Housing Benefit from the Council and you will need to claim your housing costs from Universal Credit instead.

If you are a ‘Pension Age’ claimant (those who have reached the qualifying age for State Pension Credit) you are not affected by the Universal Credit roll-out and should continue to make a claim for Housing Benefit and or a Council Tax Reduction.

 

If you are Working Age, to find out if you should claim Housing Benefit or your housing costs from Universal Credit, please look at the questions below.

  • Does your post code start with any of the following?

           WA2 7     WA3 1     WA5 3     WA8 3     WN4 0     WN5 7   WN8 9

           WA2 8     WA3 3                     WA8 5     WN4 9     

                            WA3 7

           L34 2       L35 3

           L34 6       L35 7

           L34 8

  • Do you have less than 3 dependent children? 
  • Are you or your partner both under Pension Age?

If you have answered ‘YES’ to any of these questions, you cannot claim Housing Benefit, but you should still complete a form to apply for a Council Tax Reduction, if you are liable to pay Council Tax for the property where you live.

If you are already receiving Universal Credit (UC) or have just made a claim for UC, you can still claim Housing Benefit if you live in any the following types of accommodation

  • Supported accommodation, (this is accommodation where your landlord provides you with care support or supervision)
  • Temporary accommodation, (for example because you are homeless).
  • Domestic Violence Unit

If you need to make a claim for Universal Credit, claims must be made online at www.gov.uk/universalcredit/how-to-claim

If you are making a new claim for Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support or Employment & Support Allowance, you can claim by contacting the Job Centre on 0845 6013615

If you or your partner are age 60 or over and making a new claim for Pension Credit, you can claim by contacting the Pension Service on 0800 99 1234

If you need to make a claim for Housing Benefit or apply for a Council Tax Reduction please complete the Council’s claim form

Before we can pay you Housing Benefit, you will need to provide the following information along with your claim form:

  • proof of your identity, and if you have a partner, proof of their identity too
  • proof that you have a National Insurance number, and if you have a partner, for them too
  • proof of all income you and your partner, if you have one, receive
  • proof of all income for anyone else who lives with you. This includes your children, your grown up son or daughter or other relative or friend
  • proof of any savings, investments, stocks, shares or other capital held by you, your partner or your children. This includes bank and building society
  • proof of your rent