Payment of housing benefit
Cheltenham Borough Council tenants
If you're a Cheltenham Borough Council tenant, we'll pay your benefit direct to your rent account on a weekly basis.
Private tenants
If you’re a private tenant, we pay housing benefit directly into your bank account every four weeks in arrears. The date we pay you might be different to the date your rent is due.
It’s your responsibility to manage your finances and pay your landlord.
Payments direct to landlords, including housing associations
In some circumstances we understand that the applicant may need payments to be made straight to their landlord. These circumstances could be that the applicant has:
- learning difficulties
- medical conditions
- mental health problems
- inability to open a bank account
- debt problems
- a history of rent or utility service arrears
- undischarged bankruptcy
- previous evictions
Landlords can be paid directly if their tenant meets one of the criteria above. The tenant should make the request as part of the Housing Benefit application.