Rents and benefits

The following information answers frequently asked questions about rent and benefits.

Why do I pay rent and when is it due?

Your rent is payable weekly in advance, but you can pay further in advance if you wish.

Your weekly rent covers the cost of maintaining and managing your home. Each property has a 'target' rent amount. This amount is based on the following factors:

• average rent for local authority and registered social landlord properties (*)

• average county earnings (*)

• national earnings for England

• a bedroom weighting - based on the number of bedrooms the property has (*)

• average local authority property values

• average property value nationwide (*): The Government sets these figures.

The Council uses the relative property value as at January 1999. This is because the Government says this value gives the best average property value over the last ten years.

The rent level is considered annually and any changes are usually introduced from the first Monday in April, twenty eight days notice of any change to your rent is always given.

In addition to the rent you may be charged for:

• heating

• hot water

• Council Tax

• cable television

• service charges, where applicable

• support charges, where applicable.

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How can I pay my rent?

There are many ways in which you can pay your rent and these are explained in the Pay for it page.

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What should I do if get behind with my rent?

If you have difficulties paying your rent remember we are here to help you. You can see a Housing Income Officer to discuss rent problems any weekday at the Civic Offices.

If you do not know where your money goes, use the budget sheet below to add things up:

Income	Weekly Amount
Wages / Salary (you)	£
Wages / Salary (partner)	£
Job Seekers Allowance	£
Income Support	£
Pension Credit	£
Tax Credit	£
Retirement	£
Works Pension	£
Child Benefit	£
Incapacity Benefit	£
Maintenance	£
Non-Dependent's Contribution	£
Other Income	£
Other Income	£
Other Income	£
TOTAL INCOME	£
Outgoings
Rent	£
Council Tax	£
Gas	£
Electricity	£
Telephone	£
Housekeeping (food etc)	£
TV Rental / Licence	£
Travelling Expenses	£
Meals (work/school)	£
Maintenance	£
Other 1	£
Other 2	£
Other 3	£
DEBTS Payments
Name:	£
Name:	£
Name:	£
Name:	£
Name:	£
TOTAL OUTGOINGS	£
Total Income minus Outgoings	£
BALANCE	£

If your outgoings are more than the money you have coming in, please contact your Housing Income Officer or an agency like Citizens Advice Bureau for advice.

If you would like to speak to your Housing Income Officer and do not know which area you live in, the table below will show you who you need to speak to:

Alpha Road Ashley Court Barnsbury Brockhill Cavendish Road Goldsworth Park Hampton Close Horsell Huntingdon Inkerman Kingswey Knaphill Lakeview Lidstone Littlewick Petworth Court Meyrick Close Roundthorn St. Johns Wishbone Woking Town	Albert Dive Byfleet Oyster Byfleet Village Chertsey Road Temporary Accommodation Claremont Eden Grove Road Gloster Road Hassall Court High Road Kingfield Houses Kingsfield Manor Crescent Maybury Old Woking Pyrford Sheerwater The Cedars West Byfleet Westfield Woodham Woodlands Park
Housing Income Officer Vince Rankine 01483 743494	Housing Income Officer Paul Griffin 01483 743674

It is vital that you do not get behind with your rent or leave it until it is too late before contacting us for help and advice.

If you do not make arrangements to clear your debt you could be sent a Notice To Quit (NTQ) for a licence or a Notice of Seeking Possession (NOSP) for a secure tenancy. These documents are served by the landlord upon the tenant depending on the type of tenancy.

This is the first stage in informing the tenant that some part of the tenancy agreement has not been fulfilled. Unless it is resolved, legal action will follow.

Legal action usually takes the form of seeking a Possession Order. Here the Council can apply to the County Court for an order for possession of the property, which could lead to the eviction of the tenant.

For the Service Standard see Rent Arrears Management.

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How do I claim Housing Benefit?

If you are finding it difficult to pay your rent because you are on a low income, you may be entitled to claim Housing Benefit. The amount of benefit which can be granted depends on the level of income and family circumstances, but the scheme can provide up to 100% help towards your rent.

You will need to apply as soon as you have a problem and supply all the information and evidence within the time allowed to avoid your claim being withdrawn. You will need to maintain rent payments while your claim is being processed.

Full details of the Housing Benefit scheme and an application form can be found in the Benefits section of the Council's website or write to:

Benefits
Woking Borough Council
Civic Offices
Gloucester Square
Woking
Surrey
GU21 6YL

Phone: 01483 743630

Email: benefits@woking.gov.uk

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How do I get Council Tax Benefit?

Full details of the Council Tax Benefit scheme are detailed in the Benefits section.

Like Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit is a Government scheme managed by the Council. It can provide help with all or some of your Council Tax. You can receive up to 100% help towards your Council Tax if you are in receipt of Income Support or you are on a low income. Other factors will be taken into account, such as whether you have any non-dependants living with you, and these will affect the amount of benefit you receive. If you do not already receive Council Tax Benefit and you think you may qualify, further details and an application form can be obtained from Housing and Council Tax Benefits at the Civic Offices.

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Are there any other benefits I can get?

Full details of other benefits are available in the Benefits section of our web site.

If you are a disabled person and need help with personal care and mobility you may be entitled to Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance. Our useful contacts pages gives the contact details of the local Benefits Office.

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Are there other sources of help?

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can give you independent and confidential advice about how to handle your debt. You may be entitled to benefits and the CAB can help you apply for these as well.

CAB can also contact the organisations you owe money to and agree with them a timetable of reduced payments.

If you are having trouble managing your money there are three things you must do:

1. Contact the CAB or another debt advisor (see contact details below). Just reading this is not enough.

2. Provide any advisor you see, whether it is your Housing Income Officer or the CAB, with all the information they need. Withholding information about other debts or commitments may mean that your advisor makes repayment arrangements that you still cannot afford.

3. You must keep to any arrangements made. For example, if a payment is reduced from £100 to £25 per month and even this is not kept to, it will be harder for your advisor and for you to arrange lower repayments in the future.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

The CAB can be contacted at the following address:

Provincial House
26 Commercial Way
Woking
Surrey
GU21 6EN

Phone: 0844 375 2975

www.citizensadvice.co.uk

Alternatively try one of these sources of information and advice:

National Debtline

Contact them for debt advice at the following address:

National Debt Line
Tricorn House
51-53 Hapley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 8TP

Phone: 0808 808 4000 Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm. Saturday 9.30am to 1pm.

www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS)

CCCS is a national charity offering free impartial advice and offer a debt management plan to people become debt free in the fastest possible time.

Wade House
Merrion Centre
Leeds
LS2 8NG

Phone: 0800 138 1111 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday.

www.cccs.co.uk

Debt Support Trust

Income Support Direct

If you receive Income Support and get behind in paying your rent, you can arrange for an amount to be deducted from your Income Support weekly which will be sent direct to the Council every three months. For more information please contact your Housing Officer or the Benefits Agency.

Your employer

If you are working and find it difficult to pay the rent, your employer may be willing to pay your rent direct to the Council from your salary or wage. Speak to your employer to find out if this is possible.

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Contact Us

If you would like more information about your rent, please contact the Housing Income Officers direct on telephone numbers 01483 743674 or 743494, or email incomerecovery@nvhwoking.co.uk

Alternatively you can contact the New Vision Homes general helpline on 0300 373 0373.