Housing benefit contacts & useful information

Find out how to contact us and where to get more information, help and advice.

You may contact the benefit office in the following ways:

  • Telephone: 0345 600 6400 Monday to Thursday 08:30 - 17:00 and Friday 08:30 - 16:30
PLEASE NOTE: Calls outside of the hours above are for emergency cases only and will be answered by Northumberland Fire & Rescue Service.
If you require assistance with your form, you can contact us on 0345 600 6400 to arrange for a visiting officer to visit you in your home.
Please post completed forms to Benefit Department, Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF
We are committed to providing high quality benefits services. Our mission statement is:

‘To provide a high quality and efficient benefit service that meets the expectations of the residents of Northumberland’

Service standards
The standards of service we aim to provide are detailed below. They will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis:

Our performance during the 3rd quarter of 2023-2024:
  • process new benefit claims in 20 days or less (13.01 days)
  • process changes in circumstances in 8 days or less (11.56 days)
  • reply to all requests for revision/reconsideration within 14 days (56%)
  • refer all housing benefit appeals to His Majesty’s Court & Tribunal Service within one month (NIL)