Housing Benefit Payments

• Most people of working age have to apply for Universal Credit housing costs if they need help with their rent. See our Universal Credit page for more information.

If you qualify for Housing Benefit

Housing Benefit payments are made either to the claimant or to the landlord.

• Payments to council tenant rent accounts follow a weekly cycle
• Payments to claimants who are private tenants follow a two-weekly cycle
• Payments to landlords follow a four-weekly cycle

Payment Status / Delays

There are currently no delays to payments.

Payment direct to your bank (BACS)

Payments to your bank account are processed every Monday and Thursday. The BACS system takes 3 working days so:

• payments processed on Monday show in your account on Wednesday
• payments processed on Thursday show in your account on Monday (or Tuesday when Monday is a public holiday)

Post Office card accounts

We cannot issue payments of Housing Benefit to a Post Office card account.

Setting up payments to your bank account

If you want Housing Benefit paid to your bank account or have changed the bank account we are making payments to please complete our Payment Enquiry eform.

Setting up a bank account

You can get information and advice on setting up a basic bank account from:

• Citizens Advice Bureau (external link)
• Money Advice Service (external link)
• Financial Conduct Authority (external link) or call 0800 111 6768

Payment by cheque

We no longer issue payments of Housing Benefit by cheque.

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