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Moving Home (FAQ)



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Do I have to pay rent on two properties?

Housing Benefit is only paid for the property you are living in. However, you may be able to have your rent paid on both properties in certain cases.

What about overlapping benefit?

You may still be entitled to Housing Benefit for a maximum of four weeks on a property you have moved from if:

  1. Your landlord is still charging you rent.
  2. You have moved to a new home other than a temporary home, and
  3. You can prove it was unavoidable to pay rent on both homes.

Could I receive benefit for a period before moving in?

This is also known as 'benefit prior to occupation'.

If you have to pay rent for a period of time between when your tenancy started and the date you actually moved in, you may qualify for benefit for that period. However, the delay in moving in must have been because of the following:

  1. It was necessary in order to adapt the dwelling to meet the disabled needs of you or a member of your family.
  2. You are waiting for a social fund payment to meet a need arising out of the move or in connection with setting up the home and, a family member must be aged five or under, or your applicable amount includes either a pensioner or disability premium or a disabled child premium

    or

  3. You became liable to make payments in respect of the dwelling while you were in hospital or a residential home.

However, even when the above conditions are met for 2 or 3, benefit cannot be paid if you had to pay rent on a previous property immediately prior to the tenancy commencing at your new address.

Victims of domestic violence are subject to slightly different criteria.

To qualify you must apply to the local authority within four weeks of moving in to your new home.


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