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Don’t miss out on more help to pay the rent, CAB urges families

29 October 2009

More families with children will be able to get help towards paying their rent from next Monday thanks to new changes to benefit rules, Citizens Advice said today.

The national charity is urging parents who receive child benefit and rent their homes, but who at present get no housing benefit, to check their entitlement again.  

It has worked out that a single parent with two children, for example, who previously just missed out on getting any help towards paying the rent, could now be entitled to housing benefit of up to £21.58 a week.

The rule change also means some parents already receiving housing benefit will automatically see the amount they are entitled to go up, and more people will also become eligible for help in paying their council tax bills.

The extra money will be available to help all tenants with children, whether they live in council housing, housing association property, or private rented accommodation.

It comes about because from Monday 2 November income from child benefit will no longer be taken into account when it comes to calculating entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Citizens Advice social policy officer Liz Phelps said:

“We are seeing more and more families struggling to make ends meet and finding it increasingly hard to afford to pay their essential household bills, including their rent.

“Our calculations show that this change in the rules could make a huge difference to them. We would urge all parents in rented accommodation who are not at present getting any housing benefit to contact their local council’s housing benefit department or their nearest CAB as soon as possible to find out if they qualify for this much-needed extra help.”

Notes to editors

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality. For online advice and information see New windowwww.adviceguide.org.uk
  3. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.1 million clients on 7.1 million problems from April 2010 to March 2011. For full 2010/2011 service statistics see: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/press_statistics
  4. Out of 22 national charities, the Citizens Advice service is ranked by the general public as being the most helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective / cost effective, reputable and accountable. (nfpSynergy’s Brand Attributes survey, May 2010).
  5. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,300 service outlets across England and Wales.