private renting..

[Emmielu]

is it best if i let the housing benefit people know that im looking at private rented houses or should i wait until i know i have a place then tell them?

Hmmm what? You can claim housing benefit whether you're renting privately or through a council/ housing association. Do you mean let them know in advance about a change in circumstances or are you talking about the housing department?

p.s. ahhhh flip, don't think I can wait around to answer... either message me, or I'm sure the others on here seem pretty helpful. Good luck either way, I'll check back tomorrow when I've dropped my little one at nursery in the morning!

You can ask them to tell you what the limit they will pay is - it will depend on where you live and what size of home they think you need (eg two bedrooms if you are SP with 1 DC). This is very useful to know before you start looking.

You'll need to give them the details of the rent, landlord, etc once you've found somewhere.