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Are you a Family with Young Children?
From November 2009, Child Benefit is longer be counted
as income when an assessment is made for Housing and Council Tax
Benefit. This means there is a significant increase in
the number of people who qualify for these benefits.
Many families who have claimed Housing and Council Tax Benefit
and were not entitled in the past, are now able to receive extra
financial help towards their rent and Council Tax charges. This
gives greater financial support to families throughout the Borough,
by increasing their income
As a guideline, a couple taking home £450 a week in, say,
earnings, tax credits and other benefits, with two children and who
pay rent of around £135 a week (£585 a month) would qualify for
some help towards their rent. A couple with the same weekly income,
with three children, who own their home and pay council tax of
around £25 a week (£110 a month) would also qualify for some help.
In both cases, if their weekly income was lower, the rent or
council tax higher or if they had more children, they would qualify
for even more help.
So, are you one of these families? Have you recently claimed
Housing or Council Tax Benefit but narrowly missed out because your
income was too high? Perhaps you or your partner have recently lost
your job and haven’t thought about help towards your rent or
council tax. Or, perhaps you are a family with young children and
you have not made a claim for Housing or Council Tax Benefit
because you didn’t think you would qualify.
Contact the Benefit Section today for a claim form. You
can either phone on 023 92446 382/383 or visit the counter between
9.00 – 5.00 Monday to Friday. Alternatively you could email
us at benefit@havant.gov.uk