Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction

These pages tell you how you can get help with paying your rent and Council Tax through the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction schemes.

We have to operate within the laws and guidelines laid down for these benefits by Central Government. These are sometimes very complicated.

If you need more detailed information you can contact us directly. Details on how to contact us are listed below.

If you would like to speak to a benefit advisor, please telephone Worksop (01909) 533710

or visit us at Queens Buildings, Potter Street,Worksop or 17b The Square,Retford.

No appointments are necessary for benefits.

You can also send us a text by texting

BENEFITS (then a space), then your message to 07797 800573. Please include your name and address in the message.

or email on customer.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk

To see more about the changes to these benefits coming in from April 2013, under the Government's Welfare Reforms, see the Welfare Reform page.

You can claim both Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit on the same claim form.  The form will ask for details of your income, savings and household, as well as rent details (if you have a landlord).

You will also be expected to prove your identity and National Insurance Number as well as your partner's (if you have one), plus all of your income, savings and rent details by providing original documents as proof when you claim.

We offer a 48 hour service if you can bring a completed form and all the above documentary evidence in to one of our one stop shops at Worksop or Retford. Your claim will be checked by a benefits advisor and you do not need an appointment.

To find out if you should claim you can use our online Benefits calculator page for an instant benefits estimate.

If you think you may qualify for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, contact us straight away as benefit cannot usually be backdated.

or

• pick up a claim form and a Benefit checker card at any of the above offices or at the local Citizens Advice Bureau office.
• download and print off a New Claim Form from the forms to download page,
• or you can email us at  customer.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk and a claim form will be sent to you.