Applying for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit
What is housing benefit?
Housing benefit is a government scheme to help people pay their rent.
» More about Housing Benefit
What is council tax benefit?
Council tax benefit is to help people 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
Who can get these benefits?
You may qualify for these benefits if:
- you are working but on a low income
- you receive other benefits such as job seekers allowance, income support, or employment support allowance
- the amount of benefit you get will depend on your income, savings, and family circumstances.
How to apply
You can apply for benefit in any of the following ways:
- Apply online for Housing Benefit. Local Housing Allowance, Council Tax Benefit or Second Adult Rebate using our interactive claim form
- Phone us - just call the Benefits Service on 020 8496 8550 during normal working hours, Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm. Please note this number is only for claiming benefit or telling us about a change in your circumstances. We can take your claim over the telephone and make an appointment for you to bring your evidence in.
- Visit a Waltham Forest Direct (WFD) shop (Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 6pm) and we'll help you apply there and then.
- The shops are busiest all day on Mondays and Tuesdays and between 12-3pm on other days. Enjoy a shorter waiting time by coming in during our less busy periods.
- Evidence you will need to show us.
- Estimate how much you may get with the Benefits calculator.
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. So if you think you might be entitled to benefit, please make a claim as soon as possible so you don't lose out.
Backdating
Sometimes we can pay benefit from an earlier date if you have continuous 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 paid from and why you did not claim earlier.
Contact us
Please contact us at Revenues and Benefits if you have any queries, or visit us in the WFD Shops. There are no Benefits Officers in the shops on Saturdays but you can drop off evidence and make general enquiries.
If you come during the week (Monday - Friday, between 8.30am - 6pm) and bring all the documentary evidence to support your claim, we can usually process your application and let you know your entitlement straightaway.
The shops are busiest all day on Mondays and Tuesdays, and between 12noon - 3pm on other days. Enjoy a shorter waiting time by coming in during our less busy periods.
