Housing Services in Bexley
Housing Benefit
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a claim form?
You can visit either Erith Town Hall or Bexleyheath Civic Offices and collect a claim form in person.
Important note: If you download and print off a copy of the claim form from this website please remember to email benefits@bexley.gov.uk on the same day. This will ensure that your date of claim is recorded correctly. Please remember to include your name and address so that your email can be matched to the claim form when it is received.
You can  Download
an application form here (1.90MB, PDF file)
You can also phone 0845 302 3200 and ask for a claim form to be sent to you.
Alternatively, you can visit Council offices at Wyncham House, Sidcup, or Hill View, Welling.
The following also maintain a supply of claim forms:
London & Quadrant,
Athena House
112 Station Road
Sidcup
Orbit Housing
156-168 West Street
Erith
Gallions Housing Association
Harrow Manor Way
Thamesmead South
Once the claim form is completed it should be sent to the following address:
Capita Business Services
PO Box 713
Erith Town Hall
Walnut Tree Road
Erith
Kent DA8 1TL.
The reception staff at Erith Town Hall will be happy to help you complete your
application form and answer any questions that you may have regarding your claim.
There are two types of claim form that you can complete, the claim form issued
by the Council, or a Form NHB1 that is issued by the Benefits Agency. Although
the Benefits Agency Form is an official claim form to determine the effective
date of your entitlement, you must also complete an Application for Housing and
Council Tax Benefit issued by the Council.
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How much benefit could I get?
We cannot give you any help towards water charges, heating charges
and certain other charges such as those for washing your own clothes or cleaning
you room or flat. You must pay these. If you have any other adults living with
you, such as grown-up children, we may have to reduce the benefit we can pay you.
If you get Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance (income based), we will give
you enough benefit to pay all your rent less any amounts for charges we cannot
pay (these are explained above). However, if your rent is too high, we have to
reduce the amount we pay.
You will also get benefit for the full Council Tax bill (after discounts and
any other reduction for disability) less any amounts for other adults living with
you.
If you do not get Income Support or Job Seeker's Allowance (income based), the
amount of benefit we can give you depends on the amount of income you have coming
in every week, as well as other things like:
- the amount of rent or Council Tax
you pay;
- whether you are single;
- whether you have children; and
- whether you are over 60.
More information is available here.
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What happens if I am under 25?
If you are under 25 and you rent from a private landlord, we
have to base the amount of Housing Benefit that we can pay you on a 'single room
rent'. The figure used to calculate the single room rent is provided to us by
the Rent Officer. We are obliged to use this figure even if you have a single
room in a shared flat and pay a proportion of the rent on the whole accommodation.
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What happens if I live with a close relative
and they charge me rent?
If you live with one of the following people and they are also
your Landlord you cannot claim Housing benefit:
- A parent, step-parent or parent-in-law;
- brother or sister;
- son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, step-son, step-daughter, or partner
of any of the previously mentioned people.
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What happens if I rent a flat from a close
relative who does not live there?
If the relative from who you rent the flat does not live there
it is you who can claim Housing Benefit provided that the tenancy is let on a
commercial basis.
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What income do you take account of?
We take account of the following income:
- All your earnings less tax, National Insurance, and half of
any pension contributions you make. Your earnings include commission,
bonuses, tips, overtime, and part-time earnings.
- Working Family Tax Credit, Disabled Persons Tax Credit, Pension
Credit, Sickness Benefit, Job Seeker's Allowance (contribution
based), State Pensions, and benefits and pensions from past employers.
- Maintenance payments, rent from sub-tenants, and any other income.
If you have savings between £3000 and £16000 we have to add £1
a week to the income we use to work out your benefit for each £250 (or part
of £250) of savings over £3000. For example, if you have £3001
we will add £1 a week. However, if you, or in the case of a couple (the
older partner) are aged 60 or more, any capital less than £6000 is ignored
for the purposes of the benefit calculation.
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What should I do if my circumstances change?
If there has been a change in your circumstances since your
last claim you must tell us immediately. This may include the following : if
you start or stop receiving Income Support or Job Seeker's Allowance, a change
in your income or rent, or if the circumstances of someone living with you changes.
You can notify us by completing a notification
form (102KB, PDF
file).
Please send the completed form along with as much proof as possible (for example,
wage slips, if you have started work) to:
Benefit Office
PO Box 713
Erith
Kent DA8 1UN
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When does my Benefit start?
If you are already living in a property your Benefit will normally
start on the Monday after you make your claim.
If you move into a new address we can start your claim on the date that you move
in provided we receive the claim form before you move in or within the same week.
(for Benefit purposes a week begins on a Monday and ends on a Sunday) If you are
receiving income support, or JSA Income based, and you move into a new address
your benefit will start on the date that you move in provided we receive a claim
form within four weeks of that date.
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Can I claim backdated benefit?
If you wish to claim backdated benefit you will have to show
'good cause' as to why you failed to claim earlier. Normally 'good cause' would
require you to be incapacitated in some way such as being in hospital or suffering
from severe mental distress.
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What happens if I need to go away from my home?
If you go away from your home for a week or more you should contact
us before you go. If you do not contact us your benefit may stop and you may have
to make a new claim on your return. If you contact us first you are still entitled
to receive Housing Benefit for up to 13 weeks.
If you return after 13 weeks have
passed we will not normally be able to pay you any benefit for the time you
were away even if you told us before you left.
There are different rules for people who have to leave their home
to go into hospital, or are fleeing domestic violence or are remand prisoners. In all cases you must intend to return to the property within either 13 or 52
weeks and you must not charge somebody else rent for living in your accommodation
whilst you are away.
Going into hospital
If you go into hospital we can pay your benefit for up to
52 weeks provided that you are expected to return home within that time. However,
the amount of benefit
that we can pay you may decrease if you are in Hospital for more than 6 weeks.
You do not need to contact us before you go into hospital to receive benefit
for the time that you are in hospital. However, if possible you should ask
a friend, or relative, or a hospital social worker to let us know where you are
as soon as possible.
Fleeing domestic violence
It is possible for Housing Benefit to be paid for up
to 52 weeks if you have had to leave your home because of fear of domestic violence.
If you are in a women's
refuge you should ask one of the workers to contact us, if you feel unable
to do so yourself, even if the refuge is not in Bexley. We will not disclose your
refuge address to anyone.
Going into prison
If you are in prison as a remand prisoner you can still receive
benefit for up to 52 weeks. If during this time you are sentenced and committed
to prison your
Housing Benefit will stop unless your sentence is for 13 weeks or less. You
do not have to inform us before you go to prison to receive benefits however
you or a friend, or relative, or a prison social worker should inform us of
what has happened as soon as possible. How to contact the benefits service
Our address is:
Benefits Office
PO Box 713
Erith Town Hall
Walnut Tree Road
Erith
Kent DA8 1TL
We are open to the public every weekday between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
You do not need an appointment to come and see us.
The nearest train station is Erith, served by Connex South Eastern trains. The
Town Hall is on the following bus routes: 99, 229, 428, 469, B12 and B13.
You can also hand in a claim form at the Civic Offices on the Broadway in Bexleyheath.
However, no-one will be able to help you if you have a specific query regarding
benefits.
You can phone us on 0845 302 3200 (this is a local rate telephone number) between
8am and 6pm weekdays and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
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How do I complain about a Council service?
We want to provide good quality services for everyone. But things
can go wrong. If they do, we need to know so we can put them right and learn from
them.
What do I do if I am unhappy with the
Revenues Service?
Please complete the complaint
form (75KB, PDF file) and return it to the following address:
Revenues Client Unit,
Erith Town Hall
Erith
Kent DA8 1TL
Alternatively you can complete our online feedback form.
A manager will investigate your complaint and reply to you within 10 working days.
If you need an interpreter or sign language interpreter, we can arrange this for you. We usually need seven days' notice to arrange this. If you are unhappy with the manager's reply, you can appeal to the Council's Management Secretary at the Civic Offices in Bexleyheath. If you are unhappy with the Council's services you can write to the Ombudsman at the following address:
The Local Government Ombudsman
21 Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9BU.
Alternatively, you can contact your local Councillor or Member of Parliament.
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What should I do if I suspect a fraud has been
committed?
If you suspect or know of a fraud that is being committed please
contact the Fraud Investigations Team at:
Capita Business Services
PO Box 713
Erith Town Hall
Erith
Kent DA8 1TL
You can also ring the Fraud Team anonymously if you wish on 01322 356603.
Reporting a fraud
The Fraud and Prosecution Policy is implemented by:
- Carrying out residency checks
to ensure that claiments are resident at the property for which they are
claiming benefit.
- Investigating referrals from the Benefit Assessment Teams or other bodies,
where there appear to be irregularities and information from individuals.
- Investigating
possible contrived tenancies that have been created to take advantage of
the Benefits system.
- Having close liaison with external organisations such as the Benefits Agency
to detect multiple frauds.
- Carrying out interviews under caution where there is a possible fraudulent
claim for benefit.
Where a fraud has been detected, the investigator can recommend the cancelling
of the claim and take criminal proceedings against the person instigating the
fraud or impose a financial penalty known as an administrative penalty.
Bexley has a vigorous programme of investigating potential benefit fraud and
will take the strongest possible action when such cases have been identified.
We have been successful in obtaining criminal convictions against a number of
fraudsters already.
If you give false information, you may be prosecuted under the Social
Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997. This could result in up to seven years
'imprisonment.
Don't do it: if you haven't already been caught, it won't
be long!
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