Eligibility for Housing Benefit
Only the tenant, the tenant's partner or official appointees can claim Housing Benefit. A landlord cannot claim for them.
An official appointee is a person who has been arranged by the Department of Work and Pensions to make and maintain any benefit claims for you.
You can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if either of the following apply:
- you and your partner have reached State Pension age and receive Guarantee Pension Credit
- you live in temporary accommodation provided by the local authority
- you live in supported or exempt accommodation
Make a claim for Housing Benefit
When you should claim for Universal Credit instead
You should apply for Universal Credit to include your housing costs if you're not:
- in supported accommodation or exempt accommodation
- in temporary accommodation provided by a the local authority
- of state pension age