Housing Benefit Changes 2011

The Housing Benefit you receive is changing

If you're currently in receipt of Housing Benefit from 1 April 2011, Housing Benefit will be changing.

What the change means for you is the amount of Housing Benefit you get may go down. I appreciate that this change may be unsettling and you will have questions. To understand how you are affected, see Further Information on changes to Housing Benefit.

If you are already in receipt of Housing Benefit, you may have more time before your rate changes. If your circumstances don't change, you will have nine months at your current Local Housing Allowance rate after we next assess your Housing Benefit beyond April 2011.

But it is important for you to know if you are getting more in Housing Benefit than you pay in rent then this will end immediately when we next assesses your entitlement.

It's important that you contact your Housing Benefit department if you change your living arrangements, for example if you start a new tenancy agreement, extend an existing arrangement, or move house. Please call 01628 796036 or email benefits@rbwm.gov.uk

If you want to know what your Local Housing Allowance rate is now, visit the LHA Direct website. This will help you plan for changes next year. These rates change every month, so keep checking.

To help you plan for the changes next year you can compare the current rates against what the new rates are likely to be for where you live, on the following websites:

England: VOA - LHA Percentile Rates

Non-dependant deductions have increased from 1st April 2011. A 'non-dependant' is someone aged 18 or over, for example, an adult son or daughter, a relative or even a friend who lives with you on a non-commercial basis. Please click here for further info.

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