Benefit Enquiries

Please use our online calculator on the new claim page.

You can check which benefits you might be entitled to and an estimate of how much may be available to you by using Directgov's Benefits Advisor or by using our online calculator found on the new claim page.

The Benefits Enquiry Line is a confidential telephone service and is available for people with disabilities and their carers.

The person taking your call will not have access to your personal records but will be able to give you general information about all benefits.

Information can be produced in Braille or large print. Help is available with completing forms for disability benefits.

Contact details:

Benefits Enquiry Line

Victoria House

9th Floor

Ormskirk Road

Preston

Lancashire

PR1 2QP

Tel: 0800 88 22 00

Fax: 01772 23 89 53

Email:Bel-Customer-Services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Yes. You can ask for a Discretionary Housing Payment to help pay your rent. Please complete the Discretionary Housing Payments form which is located at the bottom of this page.

You can also apply for a Council Tax Support Discretionary Fund payment to help towards your Council Tax. You will need to complete the appropriate claim form found on our Council Tax Support page.

Please email us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov.uk, giving details of the letter you require.

Please note that this email address cannot accept email with attachments - if you need to provide further information, please copy and paste it into the body of your email.

Housing Benefit (including Local Housing Allowance) is a means tested benefit and your tenant may not be entitled to benefit covering the full contractual weekly or monthly rent. If the rent level stated on the benefit notification letter does not match the contractual rent you charge, you can make further enquiries by emailing us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov.uk.

If you are awaiting notification of an award of housing benefit following a new application you should receive this within 14 days. This is providing that you:

• Answered all the questions on the claim form;
• Signed the claim form in all places you were asked to; and
• Have supplied all of the proofs required.
  

If you have previously received a payment and payments have now stopped without an explanation, then please contact us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov.uk so that we can investigate. .

Please note that it can take up to 5 working days from the date the payment is issued to when it is credited to your account. If you have still not received the payment at this time please contact us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov.uk.

You will need to tell us immediately as it could affect your eligibility or the amount you receive. You can do this by using the online change in circumstances facility.

The decision has been made on your tenant's claim, so as a landlord you are unable to appeal. However, you may ask for the claim to be looked at again.

Please either write to us at:

Benefit Service
Birmingham City Council
PO Box 8267
Birmingham
B4 7XF

or email us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov, giving full details.

Please note that this email address cannot accept email with attachments - if you need to provide further information, please copy and paste it into the body of your email.

Please either write to us at:

Benefit Service
Birmingham City Council
PO Box 8267
Birmingham
B4 7XF

or email us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov, giving full details.

Please note that this email address cannot accept email with attachments - if you need to provide further information, please copy and paste it into the body of your email.

If your tenant is receiving housing benefit payments direct and falls in arrears, please report it to us straight away. We will then usually send any further housing benefit payments directly to you or the agent.

If we do not feel that you should receive these payments direct, we can refuse to make them or withhold benefits while an investigation takes place. To recover the arrears you would have to pursue the tenant. This may involve taking enforcement action against them.

If you are considering taking enforcement action against your tenant, please contact us at ptmailbox@birmingham.gov.uk.

Or write to:

Benefit Service
Birmingham City Council
PO Box 8267
Birmingham
B4 7XF

Yes, as long as the claimant has signed part 16 of the housing benefit application form. Also, as the landlord you must be able to provide us with the following information when calling about your tenant’s claim:

• Your name and / or company name.
• Your address and / or company address.
• Your tenant’s name and address.
• Your landlord code, if you have one.

You can find more detailed information in the Landlord Advice Pages.

Yes. You can ask for a discretionary housing payment. Please complete discretionary housing form attached below.

Please call us on telephone number 0121 464 7000 and we will look at your financial circumstances. You should have your income and expenditure details to hand prior to contacting us.

We will then decide if we can reduce your recovery payments and write to tell you our decision.

If you’re experiencing financial difficulties please make an appointment at your nearest Neighbourhood Office for advice on dealing with debts. If you make an appointment for a debt interview, please complete the online income and expenditure form beforehand.

You should contact the Home Options service which helps people who are at risk of becoming homeless. This service brings together different organisations to help prevent homelessness and provide other housing options for households with different needs, including:

Contacts:

email:homelessservice@birmingham.gov.uk

phone: 0121 303 7410

fax: 0121 464 7610

write to:

Homeless Service

PO Box 15782

Birmingham, B2 2RG