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Who is eligible?

You don't have to claim an Extended Payment of Housing Benefit if you or your partner or civil partner (and they remain a partner throughout the claim) have stopped getting one of the benefits mentioned below because one of you is expected to do one of the following for five weeks or more:

and you've been getting one of the following:

• Jobseeker's Allowance

• Income Support

• Employment and Support Allowance (disabled people section)

• Incapacity Benefit

• Severe Disablement Allowance

How much do you get?

Normally you'll get the same amount of Housing Benefit as you did before.

• Housing Benefit

• Severe Disablement Allowance

How it's paid

It is paid by your local council in the same way you get your Housing Benefit.

What else you need to know

If you are going back to work, your local council will also decide if you can get in-work Housing Benefit. Once your extended payment period has ended, you can move onto in-work Housing Benefit if you are entitled to it. You will not have to make a new claim.

• Benefits and help when going back to work

How to appeal

If you're refused Housing Benefit, the Extended Payment or in-work Housing Benefit, you can ask your local council to look again at the decision.

If you're still unhappy with the outcome, you can appeal to an independent Appeal Tribunal.

• How to appeal against a benefits decision

• A to Z of local councils

More useful links

• On a low income benefits information

• Housing Benefit

• Mortgage Interest Run On - home loan help

• Overdue utility bills

• Increasing your income in retirement (pensions and retirement planning section)

Useful contacts

• Money, tax and benefits contacts