Homeowners and tenants applying for Rate Rebate
Rate Rebate replaces Housing Benefit for rates for homeowners and tenants of working age. You can only claim Rate Rebate if you’re already entitled to Universal Credit in Northern Ireland. To get Rate Rebate, tenants and homeowners must apply online to Land & Property Services (LPS).
Housing rent
If you’re a tenant and entitled to getting your rent paid, your rent will be assessed and paid through Universal Credit.
Universal Credit
Universal Credit replaces some social security benefits for people under State Pension age on a low income.
People eligible for Rate Rebate
You must be entitled to Universal Credit before you can apply for Rate Rebate.
You can apply if you’re:
- a homeowner living in your own property
- a tenant living in social housing owned by the Housing Executive or a housing association
- a tenant living in private rented housing
If you’re a tenant, you or your landlord must be liable for paying the rates. To qualify for Rate Rebate, homeowners must be liable for paying the rates on the property.
Different types of homeowner
You’re a homeowner and responsible for paying rates when:
- you own and live in your property
- you're no longer the legal owner but have the right to live in or 'have your day' in a property
People who aren’t eligible for Rate Rebate
You can’t apply for Rate Rebate if:
- you aren’t entitled to Universal Credit
- you live in supported accommodation
- you already receive Housing Benefit and Rate Relief
- you’re entitled to Pension Credit, unless your partner already receives Universal Credit
If you aren’t eligible for Rate Rebate, you might get other help to pay your rates.
To read the list of people who aren't eligible for Rate Rebate, go to:
To read about changes to social security benefits, go to:
How Rate Rebate is awarded
Homeowners and tenants don’t receive Rate Rebate as a payment.
Rate Rebate for homeowners
If you qualify for Rate Rebate, Land & Property Services (LPS) will credit your rate account from the start date of the Rate Rebate claim until the end of the rating year, 31 March. They’ll do this every year until there are certain changes in your circumstances.
Tenancy reference number
If you're a tenant in social housing and want to apply for Rate Rebate, you'll need to know your tenancy reference number.
Housing Executive tenants have a Housing Management System (HMS) reference or an account reference number.
You can't apply for Rate Rebate without a tenancy reference number. If you don't have or know this number, you should ask your landlord.
Rate Rebate for tenants in social housing
If you live in a Housing Executive property, LPS will pay Rate Rebate monthly in arrears to the Housing Executive.
If you live in a housing association property, LPS will pay Rate Rebate monthly in arrears to the housing association.
Rate Rebate for tenants in private rented housing
If you rent your home from a private landlord, LPS will credit Rate Rebate monthly in arrears to your landlord’s rate account.
If you live in a property with a capital value over £150,000 and you’re liable for paying the rates, LPS will credit Rate Rebate to your rate account.
Pay in lieu of notice or holiday pay
From Monday 4 January 2021, one-off payments such as pay in lieu of notice or holiday pay, can be excluded in the calculation of rate rebate entitlement.
If your Rate Rebate claim starts on or after 28 March 2020 and you had any of these one-off payments included in your assessment calculation then you can request your claim is looked at again.
You must supply all the relevant information listed below to Land and Property Services no later than 3 April 2021:
- A final payslip from an employer detailing the payment pay in lieu of notice or holiday pay
or
- A letter from an employer, on company headed paper, detailing the payment of pay in lieu of notice and/or holiday pay
This information should be sent by email to raterebate@lpsni.gov.uk
Contact
Land & Property Services (LPS) Rate Rebate team