RR2 - A guide to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
About this guide
This guide is intended for professional and voluntary advisers and for members of the public who want to know more about Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB).
This guide and the law
The guide gives a detailed explanation of the HB and CTB rules. It cannot cover every situation or problem, or provide a full interpretation of the rules in all cases, so it cannot be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.
The basis of the law for HB and CTB is the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, as amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1992. These Acts provide the framework for the detailed rules contained in regulations made by the Secretary of State and approved by Parliament.
In the text there are references to the relevant regulations or schedules, to allow you to consult the legal wording of the rules.
Great Britain and the United Kingdom
The information in this guide is primarily concerned with the law in Great Britain, that is England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland is covered by the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 and the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, and the rules are different. Information on Northern Ireland can be obtained from social security offices in the province.
In the section on overseas students, the term United Kingdom is used. The United Kingdom (UK) covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK.
