How can I apply?

How to apply

To apply for housing benefit you should email benefits@hastings.gov.uk.

You should provide your name and address, so one of the team can send a paper application form directly to you.

It is very important that you read the claim form carefully (from front to back) before filling in any of the details.

What we need to know

When you make a claim we'll ask:

• you to tell us about all of your income, household, savings and capital
• for certain supporting documentation.

When you make your benefit claim we need all your contact details to enable us to contact you quickly about any aspect of your claim.

What you will need to supply us with

We need you to supply us with the following, a:

• Current telephone number (landline and/or mobile)
• Current e-mail address.

If you do not provide an e-mail address there may be a delay in paying any benefit. When you supply us with an e-mail address you should monitor your e-mail account frequently just in case we send you a message. You should also advise us if your telephone number/e-mail details change so our records are up to date.

Supporting documents that we need to see

When you make a benefit claim the form must be fully complete and all the supporting documents should be supplied.

A full list of the required documents is available on the benefit claim form.

To help you further we have listed below a brief summary of what is required:

Proof of identification

All proof of ID documents must be originals, we can't accept photocopies. You will need to provide two per person. Valid forms of ID include your passport, driving licence or birth certificate.

National Insurance number

You can still make a claim if you or your partner don't have a National Insurance number or can't find your National Insurance card, or a document such as a P60, P45 or benefit entitlement letter. We can contact the Department for Work and Pensions to get this information - but it may delay the processing of your claim.

Income and capital savings

All income & capital/savings documents that are provided to us in person with your benefit claim form should be originals.

• Evidence of income (earned income or other benefits)
• State benefits: a letter of your entitlement or your payment book
• Earned income: the most recent consecutive payslips - five weekly, three if paid fortnightly or two if paid monthly
• Self-employed: detailed accounts to show your income and expenditure
• Any other income: Official documents confirming the date payment started how much you will receive and frequency you are paid
• Proof of capital, savings and investments.

Proof of rent

• A current tenancy agreement
• A rent book
• A letter from your landlord.

How to submit your claim form

Before submitting please ensure you have completed the form fully, signed and dated it, and have all of the required supporting documentation.

You may:

• scan the application form along with all supporting documents, and email it to the revenues & benefits service, or
• photograph all pages of the form, and all supporting documents, using a smart phone, tablet or other device and email the document to the revenues & benefits service

The email address to send the application form and documents to is: benefits@hastings.gov.uk.

If you are unable to email your form and documents you can also use the Drop-Off-Box located on the Ground Floor, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3UY. If you are unable to email or drop your documents off you can send your application form and documents by post.

Please note:

Benefit claims can't normally be backdated, so it's very important that you supply your fully completed claim form and any supporting documents as possible.