Help with Housing Costs: Volume 2 : Guide to Housing Benefit, 2023-24

This guide covers the UK rules about getting housing benefit towards social housing and private rent payments, and pension credit towards homeowners ground rent and service charges.

It complements volume 1 which includes universal credit, council tax and rate rebates, appeal tribunals and the rules for migrants and recent arrivals.

It is designed for easy use by local councils, social landlords, advisers, tribunal members, housing professionals and renters.

This edition explains all the new rules for social housing renters and private renters starting from April 2023, including the annual uprating.

It describes fully: - The basic qualifying conditions for housing benefit (HB) - Who can make a claim for HB following the national rollout of universal credit - How and when working age claims are transferred to universal credit - The rent and service charge payments HB meets for social renters - How the local housing allowance works for private renters - Which payments HB meet