Housing Benefit Payment Schedule

Housing Benefit payments are made either to the claimant or to the landlord. Claimants will normally receive their benefit on a weekly or two weekly basis. Landlords receive their payments on a four weekly basis.

Payment Status / Delays

There are currently no delays in issuing Housing Benefit Payments

Payment direct to your bank (BACS)

If you receive payment through your bank account, payments are processed every Monday and Thursday, the banking system takes 3 working days so payments will normally show in your account on the following Wednesday or Monday.

Please note that due to the bank processing time, payments are affected by public holidays and will be delayed accordingly. Therefore if your payment is processed on a Thursday and the following Monday is a public holiday, the payment will not show in your account until the Tuesday.

Payment by cheque

Cheques are produced every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and are posted second class, you should therefore allow at least 3 working days for delivery. Please note that once you pay the cheque into your account you should allow at least 4 working days for the cheque to clear.

Important information

Payment by cheque to be withdrawn

As issuing cheques is the most expensive method of paying Housing Benefit, we have therefore decided to withdraw payment of Housing Benefit payment by cheque. We will now pay all Housing Benefit directly into a bank account which will mean your housing benefit payment will arrive safely in your account 3 working days after we pay it (as above).

Payment through your bank account is a cheaper, easier and safer way for us to pay Housing Benefit to you. Advantages of having Housing Benefit paid direct to your bank account:

• You will receive Housing Benefit payments 3 working days from the time it leaves our account
• You will not have to wait for a cheque to arrive in the post (approximately 3 working days)
• You will not have to wait for cheques to clear with the bank (approximately 4 working days)
• You will not have to pay any charges to cash your cheque
• You will not have to visit a bank to cash your cheque

Setting up payments to your bank account

If you have a bank account, please complete the form (PDF 30KB) requesting your future payments to be paid directly into your bank account and send it back to us. Or you can hand it into your local Customer Services Centre.

If you are unable to provide your bank or building society account details, please write to us or email us at benefits@haringey.gov.uk telling us the reason/s why.

Setting up a bank account

If you don’t have a bank account and need information and advice on basic accounts that are available, please refer to the Basic Bank Accounts (PDF 546KB) leaflet. You can also contact the Financial Services Authority on 0845 606 1234 or visit the FSA website (external link) for more information.