Help paying your rent

If you rent your home and are on a low income, you may get help with the cost. For people over State Pension age, this has usually meant Housing Benefit; the way this works is changing, with support for pensioners moving into Pension Credit, so it's worth getting current advice about which applies to you.

A local adviser can look at your situation as a whole. Rent can take a big chunk out of a pension, and when money is tight, it can become a real worry. The good news is that if you rent your home and you are on a lower income, there is help available towards the cost, and you do not have to work it all out on your own. This page explains the main support, how it works, and where to turn if you are struggling.

Housing Benefit: the main help with rent

If you have reached State Pension age and you rent your home, whether from the council, a housing association or a private landlord, you can usually claim Housing Benefit to help with the cost. For older people, this is still run by your local council, rather than through Universal Credit.

How much you get depends on your income, your savings, how much your rent is, and who else lives with you. For some people, it covers part of the rent, and for others it covers all of it.

The Pension Credit link, worth checking first

The simplest route to the most help is through Pension Credit. If you get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, your income and savings are not taken into account at all, and you may have your eligible rent paid in full. So it is well worth checking whether you qualify for Pension Credit first, and we have a separate guide on that. Even if you are not on Pension Credit, you may still qualify for Housing Benefit if you are on a low income.

Savings, and other things that affect it

A few things are worth knowing:

Savings. Normally, you cannot get Housing Benefit if you have more than £16,000 in savings. But that limit does not apply if you receive Guarantee Credit, so you can still get full help with your rent even with savings above that level.
Renting privately. If you rent from a private landlord, the amount is based on the Local Housing Allowance rate for your area, which is set according to the size of the home you need.
Spare bedrooms. There is good news here. The reduction for spare bedrooms, sometimes called the "bedroom tax", only applies to people under State Pension age. If you are over State Pension age, it will not usually affect you.
The benefit cap. This does not apply once you are over State Pension age.
Other adults in the home. If another adult who is not your partner lives with you, your Housing Benefit may be reduced by a small fixed amount.

How to claim

You claim Housing Benefit through your local council, which, depending on where you live, will be Chesterfield Borough Council, Bolsover District Council or North East Derbyshire District Council.

If you are claiming Pension Credit, the easiest thing is to ask the Pension Service on 0800 99 1234 to start your Housing Benefit claim at the same time, and they will pass the details to your council. It is worth giving the council a quick call afterwards to check it arrived.

Before you start, have ready details of your income and savings, information about your rent, including any service charges, and your National Insurance number. Claims can usually be backdated by up to three months, so it is best not to put it off.

If your Housing Benefit does not cover all your rent

If there is still a gap between your Housing Benefit and your actual rent, you can ask your council about a Discretionary Housing Payment. This is extra, short-term help towards your rent for people who need it, and it is well worth asking about.

If you are struggling or behind on your rent

Please try not to ignore it, however daunting it feels. Getting advice early gives you the most options, and there is real, practical help out there. It is worth talking to your landlord, and getting free, confidential advice from Citizens Advice or Shelter, who can check you are getting all the help you are entitled to, assist with any arrears, and explain your rights. If you are ever worried about losing your home, your council's housing team can help too. You are not the first person to face this, and there are people whose job it is to help you through it.

A note if you own your home

Housing Benefit is only for people who rent. If you own your home and you are on Pension Credit, you may instead be able to get a Support for Mortgage Interest loan towards your mortgage interest. It is a loan that you repay later, so it is a good idea to get advice before taking it on.

Where to get help, locally and nationally

Close to home, across Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire:

Your local council, to claim Housing Benefit: Chesterfield Borough Council, Bolsover District Council, or North East Derbyshire District Council.
Citizens Advice, for a free benefits check and help with your claim or with rent arrears. For Bolsover and North East Derbyshire, call 0808 250 5702 (9am to 2pm, Monday to Friday). For the Chesterfield Borough area, find your local office at citizensadvice.org.uk.
Derbyshire County Council's adult care service, which offers free benefits checks.

Across the country:

The Pension Service, on 0800 99 1234, to claim Housing Benefit alongside Pension Credit.
Shelter, on its free housing helpline 0808 800 4444, for advice on rent, arrears and your rights as a tenant.
Citizens Advice, on the freephone Adviceline 0800 144 8848.
Independent Age, on 0800 319 6789, for free advice and factsheets.
GOV.UK, at gov.uk/housing-benefit.— rent, Pension Credit and Council Tax together — which often uncovers more than checking one thing at a time.

Who to contact

Your district council's housing benefit team.
Citizens Advice or Age UK Derby & Derbyshire for a full benefits check.