Applying for benefit

You can apply for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction (previously known as Council Tax Benefit) if you are on a low income or claim other benefits such as Jobseeker's Allowance.

If you are making a new claim for Pension Credit/Income Support/Employment Support Allowance/Jobseeker's Allowance you can claim Housing Benefit at the same time. From April 2013 you will not be able to make a claim for Council Tax Reduction from the Department for Work and Pensions or the Pension Service.

You can make an application online, over the phone, in person or through the post.

To make an application online please follow the link below:

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction form

To apply over the phone please call our new claim line on 01243 534612.

If you are unable to apply online or over the phone please contact our Benefits team and we will send you an application form. If you request a form and send it back within a month we will treat the date of your request as your date of claim.  

Or you can visit our office at:

Chichester District Council

East Pallant House

East Pallant

Chichester

PO19 1TY

For all new claims we will need to see evidence of:

• ID such as passport, driving license, birth certificate;
• National Insurance Number;
• Capital, savings and investments for example all bank accounts, ISA's, shares etc;
• Earnings, we need to see your last 5 weekly pay slips, 2 monthly pay slips, or 3 fortnightly pay slips. If you are self employed we need to see your accounts for the last financial year;
• Other income, such as pensions, maintenance, benefits, and Tax Credits;
• Your rent, such as a Tenancy Agreement;
• Money paid out for student maintenance or child care costs.

You must provide original documents for all of the above to support your claim. We cannot accept photocopies. All documents will be returned immediately.

You can apply for Second Adult Rebate on your Council Tax if you are a pensioner who shares your home with another adult who is not your partner and who's on a low income. Please see the section on Second Adult Rebate for further information and details of how to apply.