Headlines
April 2013
As from 1 April 2013
Northumberland Emergency Transition Support (NETs) will provide
crisis support to residents of Northumberland following the
abolition of the Department of Work and Pensions Social Fund.
For further
information please click here.
April 2013
Benefit Cap
A limit will be put on the total amount of benefit that most
people aged 16 to 64 can get. This is called a 'benefit
cap'. Local councils will be introducing this between 15
April and 30 September 2013.
For further information please
click here.
March 2013
Council Tax Benefit will cease from 31 March 2013 and will be
replaced by Council Tax Support.
Northumberland County Council has adopted
The
Council Tax Reductions Schemes (Default Scheme) (England)
Regulations 2012 for the period 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014
which will be based closely on the means-test Council Tax Benefit
currently delivered.
Council Tax Support for pensioners (persons
who have attained the qualifying age for state pension credit) will
be calculated in the same way as the current Council Tax Benefit
scheme.
Although Government funding will be reduced by
10%, none of these cuts will be passed onto benefit claimants.
If you currently receive Council Tax Benefit,
this will automatically cease from 31 March 2013. Council Tax
Support will automatically be applied to your account from 1 April
2013. You will receive a decision notice explaining what
support you will receive towards your 2013/2014 Council Tax
bill.
For further information please contact 0845
600 6400.
January 2013
Housing Benefit is changing from 1 April 2013 for people who
rent from a social sector landlord.
From 1 April 2013 the Government is introducing size limit rules
into Housing Benefit (often referred to as the Bedroom Tax) for
working age people renting from a local authority, a registered
provider of social housing, a registered housing association or
other registered social landlord. For further details please click here.
October 2012
Council Scoops gold in national finance award
Northumberland County Council's Revenues and Benefits service
has scooped gold in a national award scheme which celebrates
excellence in local government finance.
Click here to read more.
From April 2013
Annual increases in payments
Local Housing Allowance rates will be uprated
in line with the Consumer Price Index. The Consumer Price Index
measures the average changes in the prices of consumer and services
in the UK from month to month. It is the main measure of inflation
in the UK; the government uses it for its inflation target.
From 1 January 2012
Do you get Housing Benefit? Are you single and aged 25 to
34?
Housing benefit is changing from 1 January 2012 for single
people aged 25 to 34, who rent from a private landlord. This
could mean your Housing Benefit will be less than the rent you have
to pay. For further details please click
here.
6 December 2010
What information would you like to see on the Benefit Web
pages?
If you have any suggestions on items that you would find useful
that we could include in the Benefit Web pages please email
QualityAssurance@Northumberland.gov.uk who
will consider any suggestions for improvement.
21 July 2010
Can you help the Valuation Office Agency?
Housing Benefit plays a key role in helping many people meet
their rental commitments and maintain their private sector
residential tenancies. Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is used to
determine how much housing benefit someone can receive.
To ensure the LHA reflects the market, rent officers
from your local Lettings Research Team continually gather lettings
information from tenants, landlords, and letting agents. The
greater the range of sources, types of properties and geographical
spread, the more comprehensive the data used to determine the LHAs
will be.
Collecting and compiling the list of rents that
reflect the private rental sector for each Broad Rental Market Area
(BRMA), and the resulting publication of the median based LHAs,
represents a significant piece of independently researched market
information.
You can help the Valuation Office Agency by
following this link Valuation Office Agency and
completing and returning the proforma with details of the property
or properties you currently let or rent.
23 April 2010
Redundancy
If your job finishes due to redundancy or a
voluntary severance scheme you may need to claim social security
benefits. Payments you get from your employer in these
situations may affect benefits. Benefit rules are
complicated. For further information please click
here.
April 2010
Pension Age Changes
Current State Pension age
For men born before December 1953, the current state pension age
is 65.
For women born after 5 April 1950 but before 6 December 1953,
their State pension age is between 60 and 65.
Increase in state pension age to 66.
From December 2018 the State Pension age for both men and women
will start to increase to reach 66 in October 2020.
It is planned that the State Pension age will increase to 67
between 2026 and 2028 although this change has yet to become
law.
For further information from Gov.uk or to work out your state
pension age please click
here
17 February 2010
Returning to work
Are you worried about losing your Housing Benefit and Council
Tax Benefit if you go back to work? Housing Benefit and
Council Tax Benefit can be paid while you earn, working full time
or part time. For further information
click here.
5 February 2010
Fast -Track claims
Northumberland County Council Benefit Department have introduced
a Benefit Claim Fast-Tracking Service.
On provision of all relevant information and evidence,
the Benefit Department can normally process your claim
within 3 working days.
For further information please visit one of our Information
Centres to speak to an advisor regarding evidence requirements and
fast-track appointments.
For details and location plans of Information Centres please
click here.
Contact Details
For further information or specific help with information on
this page, please contact us:
Benefits Section
Northumberland County Council
Wansbeck Square
Ashington
Northumberland
NE63 9XL
Telephone: 0845 600 6400
Fax: 01670 620098
Email: benefits@northumberland.gov.uk
