You may need to start paying rent on a new home before you can actually move in. In some situations, you may be able to get Housing Benefit to cover the rent.

If you need to start paying rent on a new home before you move in, you may be able to get Housing Benefit for up to four weeks, provided that:

• you’re not already receiving Housing Benefit (in this case, you may be able to apply for Housing Benefit for two homes),
• you make your claim before you move in,
• you are waiting for a social fund payment (in Wales, the Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF)) to help with your move,
• you have a child under six, you or your partner have reached state pension credit age, or you claim certain benefits that include payments for a disabled family member, and
• the delay in moving is reasonable.

So, for example, you should be able to get Housing Benefit for up to four weeks before you move in if you are a young parent with a baby and you’re moving out of your parents’ home and into your own place, but you are waiting to get money from the DAF so you can buy some furniture, as your new flat is unfurnished.

If you can’t move into your new home until adaptations have been carried out because you, or someone you live with, is disabled, you can have Housing Benefit paid for up to four weeks before you move in.

Any work to make the home suitable for the disabled person counts, including redecorating and carpeting.

So, for example, if you are leaving a care home and moving into a bungalow, but you can’t move in until the bathroom has been adapted, then you might be able to get Housing Benefit on the bungalow for four weeks whilst the adaptations are being done.

If you are waiting to leave hospital or a care home and you need to start paying rent on your new home, you might be able to get Housing Benefit for a maximum of four weeks on your new home. Your delay in moving into your new home must be reasonable (for example, you are having to stay in hospital for longer than you expected).