More families with children will now be able to get help towards paying their rent thanks to new changes to benefit rules which came into effect from Monday 2nd November. From that date income from child benefit is no longer taken into account when it comes to calculating entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Caterham & Warlingham Citizens Advice Bureau is urging parents who receive child benefit and live in rented accommodation, but who at present get no housing benefit, to check their entitlement again. It estimates that a single parent with two children, for example, who previously just missed out on getting any help towards paying the rent could now be entitled to housing benefit of up to £21.58 a week.

The Citizens Advice Bureaux can be found online at www.adviceguide.org.uk.