Claiming Housing and Council Tax Benefits

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• Claiming Housing and Council Tax Benefits

To apply you must complete an application form. To get a form you can

• telephone the Benefit Office on 020 8547 5001
• email us at benefits@rbk.kingston.gov.uk
• download a copy of the application form:

How to make a new claim for Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit

If you need to claim Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, please call Jobcentre Plus on 0800 055 6688.  The application line is open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm. When you make your claim for these benefits, they will ask you if you want to claim Housing or Council Tax Benefit.  If you say yes, they will take your claim for Housing and Council Tax Benefit at the same time and then send it to us.

The Pension Service can now help you apply for Housing and Council Tax Benefit at the same time as your application for Pension Credit. Phone the Pension Credit Application Line on 0800 99 1234. The application line is open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm.

If you apply by contacting Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service, you will not need to complete one of our forms.

For all other customers, we are changing the way you make a new claim for Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit.

All new customers will need to have an interview with a Benefits Officer in order to make a new claim.  If you visit our offices without making an appointment, we will aim to book you an appointment as soon as possible with a Benefits Officer.  This may not be on the same day that you visit us, so it is best to call us before you visit by calling the Benefits Service on 020 8547 5001.

Booking your appointment

• Please call the Benefits Service on 020 8547 5001.  You can also email us at benefits@rbk.kingston.gov.uk.  Please remember to include your full name, address and telephone number as we will need to call you to book an appointment
• Your call will be answered by an experienced Benefits Officer who will be able to check if you may be entitled to Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit
• If we believe that you may be entitled to Housing and/or Council Tax Benefit, we will book you an appointment to see an experienced Benefits Officer at  the Information and Advice Centre based in Guildhall 2
• We will also tell you what information you need to bring with you

We offer a home visiting service for people who cannot visit the Information and Advice Centre at Guildhall 2 due to ill health, disability or vulnerability. A Benefits Officer can visit you at your home and complete a new claim form with you and copy any information that we need. If you would like to use this service please call the Benefits Service on 020 8547 5001 or email us at benefits@rbk.kingston.gov.uk.

This new system means that:

• You will no longer need to queue and wait to be seen as you will have a pre-booked appointment
• You get dedicated time with an experienced Benefits Officer where you can ask as many questions about your application as necessary, in the privacy of our newly built Interview Rooms
• We will tell you what information you still need to give us, meaning that you do not need to wait for a Benefits Officer to check your claim and then send a letter to you
• You will receive expert advice and help throughout the process

Visiting the Information and Advice Centre

• Please be on time for your appointment and bring your completed application form with you.  If you are not able to make your appointment or you are running late please call the Benefits Service on 020 8547 5001 to let us know.  We can then rearrange the time of your appointment or book you an appointment for another time
• Please bring all of the information that we have asked you for.  We may then be able to fast track your claim, meaning that we will aim to assess your claim within 3 working days.
• When you enter Guildhall 2, please tell the Meeters and Greeters that you have a pre-booked appointment.  They will then check that your details match the booking, issue you a ticket and contact the Benefits Officer to let them know you are here

Please read page 21 of our claim form, which will tell you the information that you will need to give to us, depending on your circumstances.

Please note we can only accept ORIGINAL documents as proof. We cannot accept any photocopies.

Your Interview

• You will be seen by an experienced Benefits Officer
• We will tell you what information we need to assess your claim
• We will copy all of the information that you give to us during the interview
• We will give you a receipt to confirm what information you have given to us, and if you need to give us any further information
• We will book a further appointment for you to provide any remaining information that we need

Data Protection

A claim for Housing and Council Tax Benefit is a confidential matter between the claimant and the Revenues and Benefits Department. Information will not be given to any third party without the express permission of the claimant. Third parties include landlords, relatives and friends even if the claimant has trouble looking after their own affairs.

Permission can be given verbally (in which case the Benefits officer will speak to the claimant and ask for personal information to verify their identity) or in writing (which must be signed by the claimant).