How Housing Benefit is paid

If you are a local authority tenant

We pay your housing benefit directly into your rent account.

If you are a tenant of a registered social landlord

We can pay your housing benefit:

• into your bank, building society or credit union account
• directly to your landlord

If you are a private tenant

We can pay your housing benefit into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you do not already have one of these accounts, you will need to open one. You can open a basic bank account with any bank.

When we must pay your landlord directly

We must pay housing benefit directly to your landlord if:

• you are in rent arrears of 8 full weeks or more
• deductions for rent arrears are being made from your Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance