Payment of housing benefit
Please note: If your tenant is claiming local housing allowance different rules apply regarding payment to landlords.
The following guidance applies to tenants not claiming local housing allowance.
- If your tenant pays their rent weekly or in multiples of weeks, then housing benefit payments will be made every four weeks in arrears (for the previous four-week period).
- If your tenant pays their rent calendar monthly, then housing benefit payments will be made in arrears at the end of each calendar month.
- We can make a provisional award (payment on account) if we have sufficient information to make a payment but cannot calculate the exact amount due.
The council makes payments to landlords directly into their bank accounts. Payments must be made to you if:
- your tenant is eight weeks or more in arrears with their rent (you need to provide evidence of this)
- you are receiving money from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) towards rent arrears
- the claimant requests or agrees to such an agreement
- benefit owing to the claimant who has left the property with rent arrears.
The council can decide to make payments to you if requested by the tenant or if it's in the tenant's best interests. We will suspend direct payments to you at the tenant's request and advise you if this happens.
Arrears
If we become aware that your tenant has arrears of rent equivalent to eight weeks or more we will normally make payments direct to the landlord. It is important that you tell us if this situation arises so we can suspend further benefit payments but we will give the tenant an opportunity to give us the reason for non-payment of rent. We will then decide to whom future payments of benefit can be made.
The council must, by law, consider whether you are a suitable person to receive benefit payments. If you are not considered suitable, payment may still be made to your tenant.
We will advise you of any changes in entitlement but you must collect the difference between the full rent charged and any benefit paid.
Before you take court action against a tenant who you believe is claiming housing benefit, you should contact the council to confirm whether housing benefit is in payment and up-to-date.
Direct payments to landlords
Landlords in receipt of direct payment for tenants can now use the Landlord Portal to view details of payments of housing benefit made to them by Ealing Council. The portal also shows housing benefit entitlement for their tenants.
Payment schedule for private and housing association tenants
Payment frequencies vary according to the length of time you have been receiving housing benefit at your present address, to whom the payment is made and what type of tenancy you have.
Payments will be paid directly into a bank/building society account.
If you have not received your payment please do not contact us until after the latest date you should have received the payment by.
You can view your housing benefit entitlement, payment dates and amounts online by signing up to MyAccount.
If you already have an account you can Log in to MyAccount, otherwise please Register.
View the payment schedule for private and housing association tenants.
