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If you are employed
Information on how earnings are used when working out benefit.
You can only make a new claim for Housing Benefit if you meet one of the following criteria:
- You are single and of state pension credit qualifying age, or
- Part of a couple and are both of state pension credit qualifying age, or
- Part of a couple and been continuously receiving Pension Credit since at least 14/05/19. Find your State Pension Credit qualifying age Opens in a new window .
- Live in supported accommodation
- Have been placed in temporary accommodation by the Local Authority
If not you need to claim Universal Credit Opens in a new window for help with paying your rent.
If you are employed and have a new claim we need to see proof of all earnings for you and your partner, if you have one.
You need to provide:
- The last five payslips, if paid weekly
- The last three payslips if paid fortnightly
- The last two payslips, if paid monthly or four weekly
If you do not have payslips or they are handwritten please ask your employer to complete an employed earnings form.
9730Earnings Certificate
Employers should complete this certificate if their employee has applied for housing benefit or council tax support
Employers should complete this certificate if their employee has applied for housing benefit or council tax support
If you have just started work, you will need to ask your employer to provide us with a contract of employment or details of your likely gross earnings, tax and National Insurance deductions and any pension you will pay. We will then need to see your payslips as above. We will then review your wages periodically and ask for proof if we need it. There are some wage changes that we need to know about straight away – Please go to what changes you must tell us about
What earnings we use when working out your benefit
We use the gross amount you earn and take off what you pay for tax and National insurance, and 50 percent of any pension you pay.
We can also take off a set amount from your earnings every week:
- £5 if you are single
- £10 if you are a couple
- £20 if you are disabled or a carer
- £25 if you are a single parent
This page was last updated over three months ago