Housing benefit: How to claim

Housing benefit or universal credit?

You can only make a new claim for housing benefit if either:

• you live with your partner and you are both pension age
• you're eligible for other benefits which include a severe disability premium
• you're staying in a refuge, hostel or some types of supported or temporary housing

You must claim universal credit instead if you can't claim housing benefit.

Mixed age couples

You're a mixed age couple if one of you is pension age and the other is working age.  

From 15 May 2019, you can't usually make a new housing benefit claim until you're both pension age.

Last updated 13 August 2019 | © Shelter

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