A complete guide to help with housing costs for social tenants, private tenants, and homeowners.
The Help with Housing Costs Handbook applies to claimants in England, Scotland and Wales.
Designed for easy use by renters and homeowners, local authority staff, tribunal members, and welfare and housing advisers.
The Help with Housing Costs Handbook is now a single volume, incorporating housing benefit and universal credit guides.
Written by Sam Lister, Martin Ward, and Roger Thwaits.
Published by Shelter and the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Pre-order the 2025-2026 handbook
Pre-order your paperback guide to advising on universal credit, housing benefit, state pension credit, council tax rebates, and more.
Pre-order: 1-4 copies (£70.50 inc P&P per copy)
Pre-order: 5+ copies (10% discount applied to orders of 5+ copies)
Paid for pre-orders will be dispatched upon publication, expected to be in late April.
The 2024-25 handbook
The help with housing costs handbook contains information about:
universal credit
housing benefit
state pension credit
support for mortgage interest
council tax rebates
The book contains chapters that cover key benefits and chapters dealing with the needs of particular claimant groups, for example, private renters.
Three full chapters are dedicated to benefit calculations.
The handbook includes practical examples and around 100 tables for quick reference.
Expert guidance on welfare and housing
The Help with Housing Costs Handbook deals with the basics, like who can get universal credit or housing benefit.
You'll also find information on trickier aspects of housing costs, including topics like:
migration from housing benefit to universal credit
help with service charges for renters, owners, and shared owners
payments for supported and temporary accommodation
council tax exemptions, discounts, and disability reductions
housing costs paid directly to landlords and mortgage lenders
what rules apply to migrants and recent arrivals
Order the 2024-25 handbook
Price £66.50 per copy.
A 10 percent discount is applied to orders of five or more copies.
Books dispatched immediately upon payment clearing.
Get in touch on 0344 515 1155 or email publications@shelter.org.uk if you have any questions.