Council Tax Benefit

If you are awarded Council Tax Benefit, we will pay this direct into your Council Tax account so you will not have to pay the full amount of your Council Tax bill. We will send you a bill showing your benefit and how much your payments will be.

Housing Benefit

Council tenants

If you are a council tenant, we will pay any Housing Benefit you are awarded into your rent account so you will not have to pay the full amount of your rent. You will be told how much your housing benefit is, and how much your rent payments will be.

Housing Association tenants

You can choose to have your benefit paid into your bank account or direct to your landlord.

Local Housing Allowance (private tenants)

Local Housing Allowance is paid to private tenants who move or make a new claim after 7 April 2008.

Your benefit will be paid straight into your bank account. You cannot choose to have your benefit paid to your landlord unless there are special circumstances which stop you paying the rent yourself. If you think this may apply to you, please tell us when you fill in your benefit claim form.

The bank account can be:

  • in your name
  • in your partner’s name
    • by ‘partner’ we mean a person you are married to, or have a civil partnership with, or a person you live with as if you are their husband, wife or civil partner
  • in your and your partner’s name
  • in the name of the person acting on your behalf, or
  • in both your name and the person acting on your behalf

Other private tenants

If you fall into one of the following categories, you can choose to have your benefit paid into your bank account or direct to your landlord:

  • you were claiming benefit before 7 April 2008, and you have not moved or had a break in your claim
  • you live in a caravan, mobile home or houseboat
  • you live in bed-and-breakfast accommodation or a hostel
  • your tenancy began before 15 January 1989, or
  • you live in accommodation where you are cared for, supported, or supervised, and your rent includes a charge for this service.

Payments direct into your bank account

Why have your benefit paid into your bank account?

We recommend that you get your money in this way because:

  • it is safe and secure
  • it is convenient –  you decide when and how much you want to withdraw
  • using an account may help you to save
  • from some accounts, you can make regular payments of your bills
    • it may be cheaper to pay this way, but you will need to make sure that there is enough money in your account to pay the bills. If there is not, you may be charged a fee
  • you can get your money from many different places

How do I stop the bank using my housing benefit payments to clear other debts?  

If you are worried that your benefit will be used to clear any monies owing if it is paid direct into your bank account, you can prevent this by telling your bank in advance. If you tell your bank that these payments relate to your housing benefit and will be used to meet your rental liability, the bank is not allowed to use them to recover any debt. This is known as First Right of Appropriation.

What if I don't have a bank account?

If you do not have a bank account, please contact us as we can give you a letter to help you open a basic account. But please note that the bank will still need to do their own checks before they agree for you to have an account with them.

How do I get my benefit paid into my bank account?

You can get your money paid straight to your bank by filling in a BACS application form (PDF, 137KB) . Please sign it and return it to us either by post or by taking it to any one of our WFD Shops.

More information

Please contact the Revenues and Benefits Service if you want more information or have any queries.