Charity’s fears over wait for housing benefit claims in Rugby

New housing benefit applicants in Rugby are waiting a month for their claims to be processed, with a charity warning delays could lead to homelessness.
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Between July and September 2018, new claimants waited 31 days on average before their application was completed, Department for Work and Pensions data shows.

Matthew Geer, campaigns manager at Turn2Us, said: “The longer people are waiting for their housing benefit, the more likely they are to get into rent arrears, face eviction and, in some cases, end up homeless.”

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A spokesman for Rugby Borough Council said: “Applicants have to provide a range of evidence and information when making an application for housing benefit, including bank statements, pay slips, proof of other income, rent charges and utility bills. From July to September 2018, we processed applications supported with all the required information in 11 days, well below the national average.”

He said failure to provide the necessary information does cause claims to be delayed and all applicants are urged to work as quickly as possible.