Applying for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit
What is housing benefit?
- Housing benefit is a government scheme to help people on a low income or receiving certain benefits to pay their rent.
» More about Housing Benefit
What is council tax benefit?
- Council tax benefit is to help people on a low income or receiving certain benefits to pay their council tax. Anyone who pays council tax can claim, including owner-occupiers - you do not have to be a tenant.
» More about Council Tax Benefit
In both cases, the amount of benefit you get will depend on your income, savings, and family circumstances.
How to apply
If you want to apply for Council Tax Benefit and/or Housing Benefit,
- You can complete the benefit application form online
or - You can download an application form (PDF 1.5MB), fill it in and send it back to us
or - Contact the Revenues and Benefits Service for an application form, fill it in,sign it and send it back to us
Who can apply?
These application forms are for:
- people claiming Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit for properties within the borders of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, and
- Housing Benefit claims from people who have been housed outside the borough by Waltham Forest Council.
In all other cases, please contact your own council for more information and an application form.
Start date
Your entitlement will usually start from the Monday after we receive your form, or after you first contacted us asking to claim (but you must get your completed form to us within a month of contacting us). If you delay, you may receive less money. If you think you might be entitled to benefit, please make a claim as soon as possible.
Backdating
Sometimes we can pay benefit from an earlier date if you have good reason for not claiming earlier. If you want us to consider paying your benefit from an earlier date, tell us when you want benefit from and why you did not claim earlier.
Contact us
Please contact us at Revenues and Benefits if you have any queries.
If you are a Council Tenant, you can also contact:
Housing Advice Unit
Housing Services
Cedar Wood House
2d Fulbourne Road
Walthamstow E17 4GG (map)
Tel 020 8496 3000
Fax 020 8496 5431
Email housing.advice@walthamforest.gov.uk
