Housing Benefit
Please select an option:
- Apply for Housing Benefit
- Who can claim?
- How much can I claim?
- How do I claim Housing Benefit?
- Tell us about a change in circumstances
- Tell us about a change of address
- View details of your benefit claim online
- Standards for Providing Benefits
- Other information
Apply for Housing Benefit
If you live in Poole you can claim Housing Benefit from the Borough of Poole to help towards the cost of renting your home.
Who can claim?
Anyone who is liable to pay rent for living in their home. Your landlord could be the Council 
, a Housing Association or a private landlord but it cannot be a close relative, such as your parents, if you live with them. You may rent a whole house or just a room and you may have a shared liability with other tenants.
- If you are getting a state benefit or allowance, such as JobSeeker's Allowance, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance or State Retirement Pension you may be entitled to Housing Benefit.
- If you are getting Tax Credit or Pension Credit you may be entitled.
- You could be entitled even if you are not in receipt of any benefits but are on a low income.
How much can I claim?
The amount of help will depend on your personal and family circumstances, for example how much money you have coming in each week.
You can get an estimate of your Housing Benefit using our benefits calculator .
If you are already receiving Housing or Council Tax Benefit but the benefit payment amount does not cover your total rent/council tax bill and you are suffering hardship as a result, then you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
How do I claim Housing Benefit?
You can apply for Housing Benefit by:
- Downloading and completing the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Claim Form
- Contacting the Benefits Service
- Using our online E-Claim form (currently unavailable, closed for maintenance, 17.05.10)
Tell us about a change in your circumstances
If you are already getting Housing or Council Tax benefit and your personal or household details change, you must tell us immediately. If you don’t tell us about a change and we pay you too much benefit, you will probably have to pay it back.
You must tell us if:
- The money you or your partner get changes
- You change address (see below)
- Anyone moves in or out of the home
- The amount of capital or savings you have changes
- Your rent changes
- You or your partner are going to be away from home for more than a month
- Anything you previously told us changes
You can download and complete the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Change in Circumstance Form or let Benefits know your new circumstances straightaway.
If you are considering a change, you can see the potential changes to all other benefits you receive at the Department for Work and Pensions' Benefit Advisor web page.
Tell us about a change in your address
If you already receive Housing or Council Tax benefit and you are moving address, it is very important that you tell us immediately. Any delay may affect the date the benefit is paid from and the amount you may receive.
You can download and complete the Housing and Council Tax Benefit Change of Address Form or let Financial Services know straightaway.
View details of your benefit claim online
You can view a range of your own personal information through this website, including benefits information. For example you can check when the next payment is due and how much it will be for, how your benefit has been worked out and what letters have been sent to you about your claim.
Go to online services for more details.
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