Housing Benefit Entitlement

• People on low incomes with high rental costs are usually entitled to receive Housing Benefit to help them pay the rent and many tenants of private landlords in Shetland have applied successfully to the Council's Housing Benefit Office for their entitlement.

• However, it is important to remember that there is no automatic entitlement - Housing Benefit will only be paid to someone who has gone through the application process properly and satisfies the statutory requirements for the payment of Benefit. Moreover, the level of Housing Benefit awarded may not pay the rent in full.

• It is very important, therefore, that anyone who may be relying on Housing Benefit to make a private rented property affordable should contact the Housing Benefit advisers at the SIC Finance Office in Charlotte House, Lerwick on Lerwick 01595 744682. This should be done before they accept the tenancy so that the level of Housing Benefit payable is fully understood.

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