Housing

There are a range of housing options, adaption services, support and advice available to all Dudley residents. This includes adapted and purpose built homes for disability needs and support living apartments for people with specific or complex needs. Our housing options advice is free of charge and we have a number of specialist services available such as a Youth Hub for people under the age of 25 years old.

We are dedicated to helping you to be independent. Find out more about Housing options or contact Dudley Council Plus directly for support and details on how to apply for housing services.

A person can get HB as a student if they:

• Get income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) as a full-time student.
• Have or are treated as having a limited capability for work under ESA rules for a continuous period of 28 weeks (two or more periods of limited capability can be added together if they are no more than 12 weeks apart);
• Qualify for a disability premium or severe disability premium, or they have been incapable of work for 28 weeks (two or more periods of incapacity can be added together if they are no more than eight weeks apart) or they qualify for a disabled students’ allowance because of deafness. A claimant does not have to be eligible for Income Support under the pre 17.10.08 rules to claim under these rules.
• Are a lone parent with a dependent child or qualifying young person under 20;
• Are one of a couple and their partner is not a student. In this situation the claimant’s partner can claim HB (the student rules will apply to their income).
• Are one of a couple, their partner is also a student and they have a dependent child. A person will be eligible for HB throughout the course (not just in the summer vacation as for Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support).
• Are waiting to return to their course after an agreed break because they were ill or had to care for someone. A person can get HB once they have recovered or their caring responsibilities have ended until either the date they return to their course or the date their education establishment has agreed they can return to their course, whichever is earlier, but only for a maximum period of one year and providing they are not eligible for a student loan or grant during this time.
• Are under 19 and a full-time student on a non-advanced course (the age limit can be extended to under 21 if they started the course before reaching age 19), or they are a ‘qualifying young person’ for Child Benefit purposes.

Full-time students living in accommodation provided by their educational establishment can claim for this accommodation if they are eligible for HB. Part-time students renting accommodation from their educational establishment may also be able to get help if they can establish that they are eligible for HB had they been a full-time student.

If a person has a partner and they have to live in two separate homes while they are on the course, they can get HB for both homes only if they are eligible for HB as a student.

 A claimant may not get HB if they are:

• A care leaver under 18 where social services is responsible for accommodating them; or
• In a care home; or
• A ‘person from abroad’ or ‘subject to immigration control’.