Housing

Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance: Safeguarding (making sure rent gets to Landlords)

This area contains the following information about Safeguarding:

Introduction
How Tenants can get Local Housing Allowance paid directly to their Landlords
How Landlords can get Local Housing Allowance paid directly to them
What we will do when somebody requests Local Housing Allowance to be paid directly to a landlord

Introduction

If there are concerns about a Tenant's ability to handle their own financial affairs, Housing Benefit can be paid directly to their Landlord (usually a Housing Association).

If you are claiming Housing Benefit, or you're the Landlord of a Tenant claiming Housing Benefit, and would like to take advantage of this arrangement, please contact us.

Local Housing Allowance, which is claimed by people renting from a Private Landlord, is always paid directly to Tenants. However, there is a Safeguard Policy under which Landlords can receive direct payment if the Tenant is unable to handle their own financial affairs.

How Tenants can get Local Housing Allowance paid directly to their Landlords

Tenants will need to complete a Payment to Landlord Request Form and give supporting evidence that proves they are vulnerable and unable to handle their own financial affairs responsibly. This could include information from a GP, East Sussex County Council's Adult Social Care team or support services like the Citizen's Advice Bureau and the Hastings Advice and Representation Centre.

Examples of vulnerability that may affect a Tenant's ability to handle their own financial affairs include:

a medical condition (affecting their mental or physical health)
a learning disability or physical disability
English as a second language
addiction (alcohol or drugs)
severe debt problems (CCJs, bankruptcy or a bad credit rating preventing them from opening a bank account)

The above list is not exhaustive. In all cases, evidence will be needed to support any requests.

If you are a Tenant and would like to apply to have your Local Housing Allowance paid directly to your Landlord, please complete the Payment to Landlord Request Form.

You may find it useful to read our Help before downloading information.

To be completed by the Tenant:
Payment to Landlord Request Form (.pdf 120KB)

How Landlords can get Local Housing Allowance paid directly to them

Under this Safeguard Policy, Landlords can request direct Local Housing Allowance payments if, for example, their Tenant has a drug or alcohol problem and is unable to manage their finances. They will need to give additional information from either the Tenant's GP, Social Services or a support provider like those described in 'How Tenants can get Local Housing Allowance paid directly to their Landlords'.

If you are a Landlord or somebody helping a Tenant and would like to apply to have Local Housing Allowance paid directly, please complete the Payment to Landlord Request Form.

You may find it useful to read our Help before downloading information.

To be completed by the Landlord or someone helping the Tenant:
Payment to Landlord Request Form (.pdf 97KB)

What we will do when somebody requests Local Housing Allowance to be paid directly to a Landlord

Once we receive a request from a Landlord or a Tenant, we will review all the evidence and, if we decide that the Tenant in question is unable to manage their finances, we will arrange for Local Housing Allowance to be paid directly to the Landlord.

We will then write to the Tenant and/or their representative and also the Landlord with the decision, details of if and when the decision will be reviewed, details of any appeal rights and contact details of advice agencies, voluntary or statutory organisations that may be able to offer further help.

For a full copy of the policy document or a form, please contact us.

This page last updated: 27/03/2008