12. Housing benefit

Housing benefit (HB) is a means-tested benefit that helps low-income households with rent payments. You can get HB whether or not you are in work, provided you satisfy the conditions of entitlement.

Your local authority is responsible for the administration of HB.

For most people under pension age, HB is being replaced by universal credit (UC) and you cannot normally make a new claim for HB. Eventually, most claimants who are on HB will be transferred to UC.