New Claim

Welcome to the eClaim Online Service

In order to make a claim for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support or the Second Adult Reduction, you will need to complete an online application form. Please follow the instructions carefully and read the hints and tips for any support you may require.

It is likely that you will need the following information to complete these forms, so please gather this before starting the application to save yourself time. However, if you do not have all of your evidences to hand, please do not delay in submitting your application, as you may lose benefit:

A) Your tenancy agreement.
B) Documents about your income such as your payslips and benefit award letters.
C) Documents about any accounts, investments and savings you have such as bank statements and investments certificates. If you are under State Pension age, you only need to provide evidence of all your capital if the total value exceeds £6,000. If you have reached State Pension age, you only need to provide evidence if the total value exceeds £10,000.　
D) Documents about your identity – including your National Insurance Number and one form of identification to submit/upload as evidence; i.e Passport, National ID card; Any Home Office document that includes your photo; Full driving licence with photo card; Letter from a solicitor, social worker or probation officer confirming how long they have known you; Valid UK residence permit.
E) If you have a partner we will also require proof of their identity, income and capital per above.
F) Anyone living with you aged 18 or over who is not a sub-tenant or lodger, is known as a non-dependant. We need evidence of any income that non-dependants living with you receive. The standard of evidence you provide should be the same as for your own income.
G) If you, your partner or non-dependant does not have any income currently please upload a statement confirming what your last source of income was and how you are meeting your daily living expenses.
H) If you or your partner are an EEA national or family member of an EEA national, you should have evidence of leave to enter or remain in the UK (including EU Pre-Settled Status or EU Settled Status). If you don’t have evidence of your status, provide proof that you have applied for the EU Settlement Scheme or have appealed the decision for an application that was refused.

IMPORTANT: If you are in currently in receipt of Universal Credit we do not require proof of your identity.
However, if you are not in receipt of Universal Credit or have a joint Universal Credit award with your partner we need to see original identity documents for both you and your partner.

If you are unable to provide the evidence electronically you can send the information to Westminster Benefits Service PO BOX 82 Erith DA8 1WJ or if necessary hand them into one of our reception sites. All original documentation will be returned to you.

In this form, you will be asked about you and any people who live with you. This will include questions on all income, capital (bank/building society accounts, including savings accounts, ISA’s, bonds, shares, property owned which you do not live in) and other benefits currently received. The answers you provide will be used to decide if you are entitled to Housing Benefit and/or a Council Tax Reduction (sometimes known as Council Tax Support) or a Second Adult Reduction. If you are entitled the details you provided will be used to decide how much you will receive.

A brief explanation of each benefit is as follows:

Housing Benefit　If you cannot claim Universal Credit (see below for more details), Housing Benefit can help with your rent. How much you get depends on your household income, circumstances and housing arrangements e.g. whether you rent your property from the Council or a private landlord. You can apply for Housing Benefit whether you are unemployed or working.

Council Tax Reduction You can apply for a reduction in your Council Tax bill if you’re on a low income or claiming benefits. You can apply whether you own your home or rent, and whether you are unemployed or working.

Second Adult Reduction You can apply for a reduction in your Council Tax bill if you do not have a partner, are of state pension age, but you share your home with someone who is 18 or over, who is on a low income, and does not pay you rent. You can apply for this regardless of the level of your income and/or capital accounts/savings/assets.

Important 

Universal Credit is a means tested benefit for working age people and it will replace Housing Benefit in certain circumstances and postcodes from specific dates. Please check Here to see if you should be making a claim for Universal Credit instead of Housing Benefit. Please note you can still apply for Council Tax Support if you are in receipt of Universal Credit.

Information Sharing

We may pass the information you have supplied to other agencies or organisations such as the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to help us check your application and to prevent or detect fraud. We may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes. We may check the information you have provided (or information about you that someone else has provided) with other information we hold. If you want to know more about what information we have about you, or the way we use your information you can ask the Council by writing to the Benefits Service, 16th floor, Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP.

The following link gives further information about the Council’s privacy policy: Click Here