Help with paying your rent
Discretionary housing payments
If you are having trouble coping with the costs of living or you cannot find a job, there are certain benefits you may be able to claim. The government helps out thousands of people by paying benefits such as Universal Credit (a monthly payment to help you pay your rent whilst looking for a job) or Personal Independent Payment (for people who have a mental or physical illness).
Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council now fall under the Full Service Universal Credit scheme.
You will still need to claim Housing Benefit if:
You are pensionable age; or
You are living in supported accommodation
The council's benefits department can advise on council tax reduction (which helps towards the cost of council tax for people who have a low income), Housing Benefit (which helps people who live in rented accommodation meet the costs of their rent) and Local Housing Allowance (which is for tenants in privately rented accommodation).
The council has produced a series of leaflets that make Housing Benefit easier to understand.
There are many different types of benefit and many rules that dictate whether you can claim any money or not. Some benefits are only open to people aged 18 or above (unless there are unusual circumstances), but it is always worth checking if you can claim anyway.
Making an e-claim
If you want to claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, you can now do this online.
Click here to claim housing benefit online
If you already receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction you can check you claim online
Click here to register for self service
If you have made a claim for housing benefit and want to see details of your claim, you can register for self-service by following this link. Go to self-service
For more information you can contact your Citizens Advice Bureau or Hertfordshire County Council's Benefits Advice.
BenefitsCouncil Tax BenefitsHealthHousing Benefits