This help is for homeowners to pay their property’s rates. They check if you qualify by looking at your money, savings, and family situation when you apply. This decides if you’ll get aid to pay your rates.
How they figure out Housing Benefit and Rate Relief: They look at how much amount your home makes and your family situation. Let’s discuss this topic in detail:
Contents
What do they check
- How much income does your home get, like benefits and earnings?
- Amount of capital like savings, shares, and other homes.
- Some amount they do not count, like some savings or benefits below a certain amount.
- All these things together make your ‘qualifying income.’
What is the Applicable Amount
The Housing Executive looks at your qualifying income and compares it to the amount of the week that the government says you and your family need each week to live okay. It depends on your situation.
When your weekly income is less than what you should get:
If the income you are supposed to get is more than what you actually make, you might get extra support from:
- Northern Ireland Pension Centre
- Social Security Agency
- HM Revenue & Customs tax credits
When you make more income each week than what you should get:
If the income you actually make is more than what you should get, you could still qualify for some Housing Benefit and Rate Relief. However, in this case, you might get a bill to pay for part of your rates.
If there are other adults in your home besides your partner or co-owner, they think those people help with rate payments, even if they do not. This might mean you get less Housing Benefit and Rate Relief.
When you get Housing Benefit and Rate Relief:
- They will send you a letter saying you got it.
- If what they give you covers all your weekly rates, you do not have to pay any rates for that time.
When you get some Housing Benefit and Rate Relief:
If it does not cover all your rates, you have to pay the rest. They will tell you in the letter how much you need to pay each week.
What Rate of Relief and Housing Benefit helps with
The income they give you is for the time mentioned in the award. However, if you owe amount from before, your total bill might be different. They will send you a bill saying how much to pay and when. If you do not pay, they can take legal action.
If you get the most they can give, it pays your whole bill. If not, you have to pay the rest.
How Rate Relief and Housing Benefit is given to homeowners
If you qualify for Housing Benefits and Rate Relief, they will give the amount to LPS, and it will go toward your rates bill. You will not get the income directly from the Housing Executive.
When you get the money:
They give you the benefit and relief until the end of the rating year in one of these ways:
- A lump sum for the whole year from April 1 to March 31
- From when you start until the end of the rating year
When your income or family situation changes:
If you are getting Housing Benefit and Rate Relief and something in your life or your family’s life changes, you have to let the right people know. Some changes can affect how much help you get with paying your rates.
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