How Housing Benefit is paid

How you get paid depends on whether you’re a council or private tenant. 

Payments to council tenants

Your benefit is paid at the start of the week your rent is due. The payment is made electronically into your rent account. You can ask for a balance of your rent account from your housing office. 

Payments to private tenants

We can pay your benefit by BACS transfer to a bank account. This can be to you or your landlord or agent.

All new private tenants are paid every 2 or 4 weeks in arrears. Landlords are paid 4 weeks in arrears.

If your Housing Benefit is worked out using the Local Housing Allowance, we’ll pay your benefit directly to you. In some circumstances, we may pay your landlord.

How we make the payments

Payments made to you by BACS transfer

We pay directly into your bank account.

The payment will appear in your account on the Friday* of the week in which it is due. We pay this every 2 or 4 weeks.

Payments made to your landlord or agent by BACS transfer

We pay every 4 weeks in arrears. The payment will appear in your landlord or agent’s account on the Friday* of the week in which it is due.

*Days may change due to public holidays

Making changes

To request a form for BACS payment, you can: 

• download the form from the Additional documents page
• complete it with your signature
• send it to benefits@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

You can add your bank details on the application form when making a claim. 

If you think a payment has gone missing

You should contact us straight away on 020 8921 4900 or in person at one of our service centres. 

If you suspect a payment has been stolen, you should also contact the police.