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What's new in Benefits

We feel that is it important to provide you with details of the latest changes to the services we offer to make it easier for you to get the help and advice that you may need.

It is also important that we provide our customers with details about any relevant changes in the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit legislation. We hope that our 'What's New In Benefits' page does just this and if you would like to become more involved in how our services are provided to you, please contact us at benefits@broxbourne.gov.uk

Welfare Reform Leaflet

A new booklet explaining the forthcoming changes to benefits is now available to download here.

You can also check how the changes to benefit could affect you by using our Welfare Reform Calculator.

Council Tax benefit has changed

The Government has abolished the Council Tax Benefit scheme and asked councils to replace it with their own locally run service called Council Tax Support. For further information please see the

Localised Council Tax Support Page

Household Benefit Cap

From April 2013, the Government is introducing a cap on the total amount of benefit that working age people can receive. This will apply to the combined income from the main out of work benefits, plus child benefit and child tax credits.

The cap will not affect Broxbourne residents in April. It is being introduced first in four London authorities. National roll-out for the rest of the country starts on 15 July 2013 and will be completed by the end of September 2013.

For further information on the Benefit Cap, please see our

Benefit Cap page

Social Rented Sector Room Restriction

From 1 April 2013, if you live in a housing association home and have one or more 'spare' bedrooms your housing benefit may be reduced. The size criteria will match the size criteria that currently apply to housing benefit claimants in the private rented sector and whose claims are assessed using the Local Housing Allowance rules.

For Further information please see our Social Rented Sector Room Restriction page

Changes to LHA rates from April 2013

From April 2013, each person claiming housing benefit under the LHA scheme will have their rate updated on 1 April each year. This is in line with the new financial year general increases in welfare benefits and pensions and removes the need for individual anniversary dates on claims. For further information please see our

Local Housing Allowance Page

What can I do if I am affected by these changes

The Council has a limited amount of money called the Discretionary Housing Payment fund. This is used to make small top-up payments to people whose rent costs are higher than their housing benefit and who experience material hardship to meet those costs.

DHPs are not payments of housing benefit. DHPs are awarded from a cash limited budget, at the discretion of your local council, where it is considered additional help is needed. For further information on DHPs please see our

Discretionary Housing Payment Page.

Another thing you may need to consider is to try to negotiate a lower rent charge with your landlord. You may also wish to contact the Council's housing needs service for help and advice regarding tenancies and housing issues. You can telephone 01992 785555 and ask for housing needs, or you can visit the housing benefit/housing needs reception area on the third floor at the Borough Offices between 9.00am and 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and until 5.00pm on Friday. This is on a first come, first served basis so you may need to wait to be seen.

Benefit Newsletter

The newsletter has been produced to keep you informed about the service, changes to benefit legislation, latest project developments and to seek suggestions on how services to you can be improved. You can read the latest issue here.

Online benefit claim form

Benefit claim form

The online benefit claim form is the easiest and quickest way to claim housing and/or council tax benefit. The secure online facility will allow you to save a partially completed form to finish later, as well as providing handy tips and hints to make completing the form easier.