Housing benefit information for landlords

About your tenant’s claim

Your tenant does not have to tell you that they have claimed benefit. We can only discuss a benefit claim with a landlord if the tenant has given his or her permission.

We ask all tenants whether we can discuss their claim with their landlord when they fill in their claim form. If your tenant decides later that they want you to be able to contact us, they must write to us to give their permission.

If your tenant’s Housing Benefit is paid directly to you, we can give you certain information without their permission. This information is limited to:

  • your tenant's weekly benefit entitlement
  • when their benefit starts and finishes
  • if your tenant's benefit entitlement changes
  • details about the payments we will send you
  • details about any overpayments that we ask you to repay

We cannot tell you about who is living in your tenant's property with them, or personal details about their income or financial circumstances. If your tenant vacates, we cannot give you information about their forwarding address.

Contact us

Telephone: 0300 300 8306
Email: benefits@centralbedfordshire.gov.ukempty

Please quote your tenant’s benefit claim reference if you know it – your tenant’s claim reference is either an 8 digit number starting with 900, or a 5 digit number. You can find it on any letter we’ve sent about your tenant’s Housing Benefit or on your regular Landlord Payment Schedules.