Section questions 4 Read the text and answer Questions Housing Benefit

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SECTION 1 Questions 1 - 14
Read the text and answer Questions 1 - 7 
Housing Benefit 
Who is eligible 
You may get Housing Benefit if you pay rent and your income and capital (savings and investments) are 
below a certain level. You could qualify if you are out of work, or in work and earning a wage. Use the online 
benefits adviser to get an estimate of the benefits, including Housing Benefit, you may get. 
Who isn't eligible 
You can't usually get Housing Benefit if: 
·
you have savings of over £16,000, unless you are getting the 'guarantee credit' of Pension Credit
·
you live in the home of a close relative
·
you're a full-time student (unless you're disabled or have children)
·
you're an asylum seeker or are sponsored to be in the UK
Other restrictions 
If you live with a partner or civil partner only one of you can get Housing Benefit. 
If you're single and aged under 25 you can only get Housing Benefit for bed-sit accommodation or one 
room in shared accommodation. 
How to check eligibility 
If you think you may be eligible for Housing Benefit, the link below will let you enter details of where you 
live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more. 
Important changes for people receiving Child Benefit 
Child Benefit is no longer counted as income when working out how much Housing Benefit or Council Tax 
Benefit you can get. This means that some people currently receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax 
Benefit payments will receive more benefit with which to pay their rent and council tax. In addition, some 
low income families may now get Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as a result of this change. If you 
think you may now be entitled, contact your local council. 
How much do you get? 
If you rent a property or room from a private landlord, your Housing Benefit will be calculated with the 
Local Housing Allowance rules. 
If you live in council accommodation or other social housing, the most Housing Benefit you can get is the 
same as your 'eligible' rent. 
What is 'eligible' rent? 
Eligible rent includes: 
- rent for the accommodation 
- charges for some services, such as lifts, communal laundry facilities or play areas 
Even if it's included in your rent, you won't get any Housing Benefit for: 

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- water charges 
- charges for heating, hot water, lighting, or cooking 
- payments for food or fuel in board and lodgings or hostels 
How it's paid 
If you are a council tenant, your council will pay any Housing Benefit straight into your rent account. 
If you're not a council tenant, your Housing Benefit will be paid: 
- to you by cheque 
- by Direct Payment into your bank or building society account 
Contact your council if you're worried about how Housing Benefit is paid. 

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