Benefits

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You can claim Benefit if:-

• You get Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based), Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related) or Guarantee Element of Pension Credit
• You have a low income
• If you have non-dependants living with you who have a low income, you may be able to get Second Adult Rebate on your Council Tax.

You need to fill in the application form for Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit

• You can collect an application form from the City Offices, or
• Telephone the Benefits Section on 01962 848539 where you will be offered to make an appointment to make a claim over the telephone, or
• Request a form is sent to you by clicking on this link, or
• e-mail benefits@winchester.gov.uk asking for a form to be sent by post
• Download a copy of the Housing and Council Tax Benefits Application Form and the Guidance notes for making an application

Contacting us:

Email - benefits@winchester.gov.uk

Telephone - 01962 848539 Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm
Fax - 01962 848200
Write - The Benefits Section, City Offices, Colebrook Street, Winchester, Hants SO 23 9LJ
Visit - City Offices Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 5pm Friday 8.45am to 4.30pm (A private interview room is available)

Benefit Surgeries -

• Alresford Library, 20 Broad Street, New Alresford - Mondays 10.00am to 1.00pm (alternate weeks)
• Bishops Waltham CAB, Well House, 2 Brook Street - Wednesday 10.00am to 1.00pm (alternate weeks)

If you have any particular needs which affect how you are able to use or be involved in our services or how you would like to receive information - for example translation, interpreters, Braille, Audio tape, large print, sign language etc please contact The Benefits Section.

This authority is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

The Audit Commission appoints the auditor to audit the accounts of this authority. It is also responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it indicates that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

The Audit Commission currently requires us to participate in a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Audit Commission for matching for each exercise, and these are set out in the Audit Commission's handbooks, which can be found at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nfi

The use of data by the Audit Commission in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under its powers in Part 2A of the Audit Commission Act 1998. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998. Data matching by the Audit Commission is subject to a Code of Practice. This may be found at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nfi/codeofdmp

For further information on the Audit Commission's legal powers and the reasons why it matches particular information, see www.audit-commission.gov.uk/nfi/fptext.asp . For further information on data matching at this authority contact The Benefits Section.

The service that we provide to our customers is very important to us and we would welcome your views on any areas that you think we could improve further. Please send your views to us at benefits@winchester.gov.uk.