Advice and Benefits

Frequently Asked Questions about Benefits

Q- How do I apply?

A- You will need to complete an application form. You can ask us to send you a form by contacting this office by telephone on 01444 477264. Alternatively these forms are available at our help points.

• Mid Sussex District Council Offices, Oaklands, Haywards Heath. 08:45 to 17:00 Monday to Thursday and 08:45 to 16:00 Friday.
• Burgess Hill Town Council, 96 Church Walk, Burgess Hill. 09:30 to 12:30 Tuesday and Thursday.
• East Grinstead Library, West Street, East Grinstead. 09:30 to 12:00 Monday and Wednesday.
• Hassocks Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks. 14:00 to 16:00 1st Thursday of each month only.

Q - What will I need to provide with my new claim form?

A - For each memebr of your household:Evidence of any State benefits received. 5 week or 2 months consecutive payslips. For Claimant and Partner only: 3 Items of identity one of which should include a National Insurance Number. Bank statements for all accounts held if your joint savings exceed £6,000. If claiming Housing benefit - your Tenancy agreement. If the rent has changed since the agreement start date also provide evidence of the current rent.

Q - When will my benefit start?

A - Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit will usually start from the Monday after you first contacted us. 

Q - Can my claim start from an earlier date?

A - There are circumstances when we may 'backdate' your benefit. If you would like us to consider back-dating your benefit, you need to show there was a good reason why you did not claim earlier, and send us proof of your income and other details to cover the whole period.  see our Backdated claims page.

Q - Will I qualify for benefit?

A - This will depend on your houshold income and the amount of savings you have. You will not qualify for benefit if you and your partner have combined savings of over £16,000 ,unless you also receive Guaranteed Pension Credit. Our on-line benefit calculator will give you an indication of entitlement to Housing and Council Tax benefit.

Use this link to access our on-line benefit calculator

Q - How will you pay my benefit?

A - Council Tax Benefit will be credited to your account and you will be sent an adjusted bill. Housing Benefit will be credited to your bank or building society every four weeks for the previous four weeks. You must ensure that you have given us your account details. If you have asked us to pay your landlord we can credit their account. Again we must have their account details. Payments are usually made to the claimant if you are renting your home from a private landlord.

Q - Can I be paid Housing benefit on a specific date?

A - No. Payments of Housing benefit are made every 4 weeks in arrears. This means over a year you will receive 13 payments of Housing benefit.

Q - How much rent do I have to pay?

A - You will need to contact your landlord to ask this. Some charges within your rent might not be met by Housing benefit or you may have arrears on your rental account. Your landlord will be able to provide these details for you.

Q - Is my claim treated differently if I rent from a private landlord?

A - Yes, benefit is assessed differently if you rent from a private landlord. New claims, changes of address, and breaks in existing claims mean we will treat your claim using Local Housing Allowance rules. For further information about Local Housing Allowance please use this link.

Q - What happens if my circumstances change? 

A - You must tell us straight away of any changes in your circumstances that may affect your benefit. Changes you need to advise us of include - Persons leaving or joining your household. Changes in your household income eg change of employment, changes to Tax Credits or State benefits. Changes to your savings (unless these remain under £6000). Children leaving full time education, or going to university.

You can download a copy of our change of circumstances form.

Q - What happens to my claim if I am temporarily away from home?

A - In some cases, we can continue to pay benefit while you are away from your home. In most cases, you must not be away for more than 13 weeks. If you are going to be away from your home you must tell us. We need to know the date you are leaving, the date you expect to return and why you will be away. If you need more information, please contact Benefit Services.

Q - How many bedrooms do I need for my household?

A - A claimant with or without a Partner are entitled to one bedroom unless they occupy shared accomodation. If there are other members in the household then the sex and ages of children becomes relevant.

To access our bedroom calculator please use this link 

Q - What happens if I change address?

A - Please contact us as soon as you know you are moving. If you still intend claiming benefit and  remain in the Mid Sussex District Council area, we will send you a change of address form. You can download the change of address claim form .  (191KB) If you are moving out of this area you will also need to contact the Benefits department at the Council area you will be moving to.

Q - Why does my neighbour receive more benefit than me?

A - There can be many reasons for this. If you started your Tenancies at different times you may be treated under different Housing benefit rules. Non-dependants in each household may have different incomes. The age of a Claimant or Partner might mean that a higher applicable amount is appropriate for one of the households.

Q - Can you pay Housing benefit for rent I am charged on two homes?

 A -  If you have to move at short notice and you still have to pay rent on your old home, we may be able to pay benefit for both properties, for up to four weeks. You will need to tell us why you are moving and provide proof of rent that is due on both properties. You must also move into your new home straight away. If you do not, you may lose benefit.

For further information or to apply for Housing benefit on 2 homes use this link.

Q - Why cant I pay my Council Tax from April to April?

A - Although Council Tax is charged April to April, it needs to be collected by January.

Q -What can I do if I am unhappy with my benefit award?

A - Once you have received a letter explaining how much benefit you are entitled to, you may:

• telephone our Customer Service Team (01444 477264) who will endeavour to explain our decision to you.
• write to us and ask for a written explanation of the decision. This should be done as soon as possible after receiving your notification letter.
• write to us and ask for a reconsideration of the decision that was made. This should be done as soon as possible after receiving your notification letter. Please indicate the reasons why you disagree with our decision and supply supporting documents. Another officer will review the claim.

Q - What should I do if you have reconsidered my entitlement to benefit but I still disagree with your decision?

A - Write to us within one month of the date on the original notification letter and state that you now wish to appeal against the decision. A letter of appeal must be signed by the benefit claimant. Your letter must include details about exactly what you wish to appeal about and why you think our decision is wrong. Your case will be referred to an Independant Appeal Tribunal.

For further information about Appeals use this link

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