If you want to get your own home you need to think about how much it will cost? You will have to find the money to pay for:

• Rent
• Council Tax
• Gas
• Electric
• Water Rates
• Food
• TV licence
• Phone
• Travel costs
• Contents insurance

What if you can't afford the things you need?

Moving into a new place is always more expensive than you predict. If you find you don't have any money to buy furniture or other essential items, you may be able to apply for one of the following benefits.

• Budgeting Loan
• Community Care Grant

You may be eligible for Housing Benefit?

If you pay rent or Council Tax and are on a low income, income support or jobseekers allowance, You may be able to claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit to help with your payments.

Housing Benefit is an allowance, paid by the Council and is also known as rent rebate or rent allowance.

Housing Benefit is not available to students in higher education, unless they have children or are disabled.

Single people, under the age of 25 who rent from a private landlord are only entitled to housing benefit to cover the rent for a room in a shared house. If your accommodation is considered larger than your needs or too expensive you will find any claim for housing benefit will be restricted under this single room determination.

To apply for Housing Benefit you need to complete a claim form and take it to your local Housing Benefit Office.

The Housing Benefit paid can be less than the rent you pay for a number of reasons. The rules about Housing Benefit are complicated so it's worth getting advice from your local Housing Benefit Offices

If you have a place in mind you can find out if the housing benefit will be restricted by asking the housing benefit department for a pre-tenancy determination

Most private landlords will ask for a deposit and a month's rent in advance before they let you move in.

If you're getting benefits you may be able to get a loan from the social fund to help you pay your first month's rent.

For more information about the social fund, take a look at the Jobcentre Plus - Working Age Benefits Social Fund page.

You can't get any benefits to help pay a deposit. But some Councils have set up rent deposit or rent guarantee schemes to help people get into private rented accommodation. These schemes sort out the deposit on condition that the landlord rents you the place. Ask your local Homeless Department if there is a rent deposit scheme operating in your area.