HOW TO APPLY FOR BENEFIT


If you are finding it difficult to pay your rent or council tax, you should make a claim for help as soon as possible. Housing and Council Tax Benefit are normally paid from the Monday following receipt of your application.

The easiest way to make an application is through our new on-line form. Please use the following link here ‘On-line Application Form’.

Guidance notes on how to complete the claim are available on-line and can be downloaded after logging in. You can complete the form at your own pace but remember; the earlier we receive your claim the sooner we can pay you any benefit that you maybe entitled to. Provided you have completed the first three pages of the on-line form this will register your intention to claim and you have one month in which to complete your claim form.

We are authorised to accept housing and council tax benefit claims that have been completed electronically through the use of this approved electronic form. You can view this signed directive by clicking here Directive

If you do not wish to apply on-line you can print off a paper version of the form by following the ‘On-line Application Form link mentioned above and selecting ‘Print a blank form’. However you will still need to register an intention to claim other wise your claim will only be considered from the Monday following the date of receipt of your completed form.

If you require assistance in completing a form please contact the benefits office to discuss your particular needs.

Remember
Submit your application form as soon as you can. Entitlement to benefit will usually be considered from the Monday following receipt of the application in the office.

How is my benefit paid?
With the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance on 7 April 2008, if you are a private tenant making a new claim we will pay your housing benefit directly to you, preferably into a bank account fortnightly in arrears. It will be your responsibility to pay your rent to your landlord. There are very few times we will pay your benefit direct to your landlord under the Local Housing Allowance rules. This means that you will need to open a bank account if you do not have one already. You can then arrange for your bank or building society to pay your rent to your landlord automatically by Direct Debit or standing order.
If you need to find out more information about opening a bank account, please: visit Basic Bank Accounts information page click here

visit The Money Advice Service Website
http://yourmoney.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/products/bank_accounts/types_of_bank_account.html
visit or talk to your local Citizens Advice Bureau or other Welfare Advice Agencies

For further guidance please refer to the section under Local Housing Allowance to see if this applies to you.

If you ask us to pay directly to your landlord and we are able to, payment will be made four-weekly in arrears.
If you ask for payments to be made to you and you fall behind with paying your rent by eight weeks or more, your landlord can ask us to pay your housing benefit directly to them.
Council Tax benefit will show as a reduction on your Council Tax bill.
HOWTOCLAIM00 Please note: pdf documents may take a while to download over a standard 56K modem. If you do not have a version of acrobat reader - this can be downloaded via our downloads section.

Contacting Us

If you would like more information or advice you can:

Write to us at:
Isle of Wight Council
Revenues Division
Council Offices
Sandown
Isle of Wight
PO36 9EA
Telephone on: - 01983 823950
Late night opening for telephone enquiries every Wednesday until 6pm.

Email – [email protected]

In Person – you can visit us at any of our local offices
Opening Times: 8.30 am – 5.00 pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and 8.30 am – 4.30 pm Fridays.
Closed all day Tuesday



Page last updated on: 29/10/2012