Going away

You will need to let us know if you are going away from home, as this may affect your housing benefit.

It is important to sort out your benefit before you go or you may lose benefit, or be overpaid benefit that will have to be paid back.

Short Absences
If you are going away for a short period, for example on a holiday, or visiting friends or relatives, we may be able to pay you benefit for up to 13 weeks if you:

• Expect to be away for less than 13 weeks
• Are not sub-letting
• Intend returning to your home

Long absences
You can get housing benefit for up to 52 weeks if you:

• Do not expect to be away for more than 52 weeks;
• Are not sub-letting;
• Intend returning to your home

You can get housing benefit under this rule if you are:

• On remand awaiting trial or sentencing
• A patient in hospital, or similar institution, in the United Kingdom or abroad
• Receiving medical treatment or medically approved care or convalescence (other than in a care home) in the United Kingdom or abroad
• Accompanying your child or partner who is receiving the above (but not convalescence)
• Providing care to a child whose parent or guardian is receiving the above (but not convalescence)
• Providing medically approved care to anyone in the United Kingdom or abroad
• On an approved training course in the United Kingdom or abroad
• Certain students, for example those away on residential study
• Receiving care in a care home
• In fear of violence

If you think one of these applies to you, you need to talk to us to about what will happen. We may need to see proof of the reasons you are going away.

Claims from your partner
If it seems likely that you won't get housing benefit while you are away, it might be more appropriate if someone living in your home claims housing benefit instead.

This would normally be your partner, but in some circumstances we might be able to accept a claim from someone else who lives with you.

Backdating your housing benefit when you return
Sometimes you may be able to claim 'backdated' housing benefit, for the period you were away, after you have returned.

The same rules about the length and reason for your absence apply. But unless we think you had good cause for not claiming earlier we will not be able to give you any help.

It is important that you talk to us before you go away.

You can talk to us by telephoning our Contact Centre on 020 8430 2000.

People on Income Support or Job Seeker's Allowance
If you are on income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, these benefits will stop after either four or eight weeks of your absence.If these benefits stop, your housing benefit has to stop at the same time.

If this happens, you will have to make a new claim for housing benefit, to cover the period after your income support or jobseekers allowance ends. A claim can be made before you go away or while you are away. (You can also claim when you come back, but we might only be able to award you benefit from the time you claim - see the section on Backdating your Housing Benefit when you return).

Your claim will need to tell us: