Home > Revenue Services > Benefits

Benefits

• What are Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit?
• What is Local Housing Allowance?
• Housing Benefit payment dates
• How to calculate your benefit entitlement
• Our commitment to providing an effective Benefits Service

What are Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit?

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are national benefit schemes designed to help those on low incomes meet their rent and council tax payments.

Unlike many of the other national benefits that are administered by the Department for Work and Pensions, these income related benefits are administered locally by your Council.

The rules under which these benefits are paid are made by central government, and local authorities, such as Lancaster City Council, have little discretion in their application. These rules are complex and claimants now need to provide a great deal of original documentation to support their claim.

Benefit fraud is becoming more sophisticated and Lancaster City Council and its partners are committed to combating abuse of the system.

What is Local Housing Allowance (LHA)?

In April 2008, the government introduced changes to the way that Housing Benefit is worked out and paid for people who rent accommodation from a private landlord. 

More information about Local Housing Allowance

Housing Benefit payment dates

Housing Benefit is normally paid into tenants' bank accounts 2-weekly in arrears.  Tenants are encouraged to set up standing orders for rent payments to their landlords.

In exceptional circumstances, payments of Housing Benefit can be paid to the landlord on the tenant's behalf and the Council has the discretion to decide whether or not to do this. 

If the Council agrees to pay Housing Benefit to the landlord, payments will be made into the landlord's bank account 4-weekly in arrears in accordance with the law.

When a claim is first paid or if a large credit is awarded, the payment will be issued on the next available payment date and future payments will be made 2-weekly or 4-weekly, as stated above.  The Housing Benefit award letter will give full details of the dates of payments.

Housing Benefit payment dates 2008/09 (Word 50K)

How to calculate your benefit entitlement

For an instant estimate of your entitlement to Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit, use the Online Benefits Calculator

The process is simple and straightforward - however, only an estimate of entitlement can be given.

A claim form will need to be completed in order that a full assessment can be done.

Our commitment to providing an effective Benefits Service

Lancaster City Council is committed to provide an effective and secure Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit service that is:

• Customer focused, modern and efficient
• Speedy and accurate
• Secure - reducing the risks of fraud and error
• Supporting claimants to live in decent housing

In doing so, the Council aims to provide a service that will:

• Be accessible to everyone in the community
• Ensure claimants receive the benefit to which they are entitled
• Minimise barriers to work
• Recover overpayments
• Reduce the levels of fraud and error while investigating and punishing fraud
• Encourage a strong culture of good performance within the organisation