How much benefit will I get?

The amount of benefit you get will depend on your circumstances.

We will take into account your income, savings, the size of your family and the amount you pay for your rent and council tax.
Housing Benefit will not include payment for some services that may be included in your rent such as charges for gas, electricity and water rates.
If you have lodgers, grown up children or relatives living with you your benefit may be reduced. This is because the Government consider that other adults should contribute to the household. The amount of the contribution depends upon their age and income

If you are a tenant of a private landlord, and have been claiming since before 7th April 2008, we will have to refer the rent figure which your landlord charges to the Rent Service who will tell us what amount to use as your rent when we work out your Housing Benefit.

What will the Rent Service do?

The Rent Service look at the amount of rent your landlord charges and whether its reasonable for your home. They look at the area where your home is located and how big it is in relation to the size of your family. The most Housing Benefit you can get is the same as the amount the Rent Service say we can use to work out your Benefit. This may not be the full amount of the rent that your landlord charges.

[If we cannot pay Housing Benefit based on the full rent charged by the landlord and your landlord is not prepared to review the amount of rent charged and you are finding it difficult to pay the shortfall you may be able to get a Discretionary Housing Payment click the link to find out more].

If you are the tenant of a private landlord, and you have made a new claim or have moved home after 7th April 2008, your Housing Benefit will be calculated in a different way. Please see the section on Local Housing Allowance for the way your Benefit will be worked out.

Please note that Housing Benefit can't help with mortgage payments. Depending upon your circumstances you may be able to get help from the DWP.

Click here for a trial Housing/Council Tax Benefit calculation

You can get more information from the following links:

Contact the Benefit Service at Wolverhampton City Council. Click the link for our contact options.

DWP website details about Housing and Council Tax Benefits

DWP website details about other benefits

Pension Service website details about Pension Credit