Help getting back to work

What help can Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit give?

Don't forget that you can still get Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit while you are working, if you are on a low income.

In certain circumstances, you can continue to receive the same amount of Housing and Council Tax Benefit you received prior to starting work, for a maximum of four weeks. This is known as an “extended payment” or “run-on” of benefits. To qualify you must:

- have been getting Income Support/Job Seekers Allowance/Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance for a continuous period of 26 weeks prior to starting work, and

- you expect the job to last for more than five weeks.

You must inform the Council within one month of you starting work and we will decide if you qualify for the extended payment.

Tax Credits

If you have children and you or your partner receive Child Benefit for them, and you take a job for 16 hours or more a week, you may qualify for Tax Credits.

You may qualify for working tax credit if you are working over 16 hours on a low wage, even if you are not responsible for a child.

If you are disabled you may be entitled to a disability top up of Tax Credit.

To get a claim pack, telephone the Inland Revenue free on 0845 300 3900, or visit their website by clicking here.

Help with childcare costs

If you have to pay for childcare so that you can go to work, you may get more Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Tax Credits.

To qualify:

you must be working more than 16 hours a week and
if you have a partner, they must be working 16 hours or more a week too - or be accepted by the Benefits Agency as unfit for work and
the childcare must be provided by a registered childminder, registered nursery or an after-school club.

We will need to see bills or receipts for the childcare and need to know who is providing it for you.