BRIGG PEOPLE CAN USE NEW ONLINE SERVICE FOR COUNCIL TAX & HOUSING BENEFITS

FROM NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL

Accessing and submitting information for the local taxation and benefits service has never been easier now a new online service is available on the council’s website.  
This new service will make it quicker and easier for people to complete forms and inform the service of any changes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
Before, customers would have to contact the service in office hours, which isn’t always convenient for people who work in the week. Now you can access the service at a time to suit you.
There is a range of things you can do online, the council says:

• Tell us that you have moved house/changed address so that your council tax account can be updated 
• View your balance and pay your council tax 
• Apply for Single Residency Discount 
• Make a new claim for housing benefit 
• Report a change in circumstances for housing benefit 
• Apply for housing benefit/council tax reduction 
• Apply for Discretionary Housing Payment 
• Check your entitlement via a benefits calculator 

You can access the new online service at: www.northlincs.gov.uk/council-tax-benefits-and-housing
Customers who use the online service will see a range of benefits including:

• Fewer questions on the online forms compared to the paper forms; the ‘intelligent’ forms will only ask questions relevant to your circumstances. 
• You do not need to log in to the service. 
• You can save the form part way through and complete it later if you want to. 
• You will be able to print a copy of your form, when you have finished it. 

When you complete a form it will tell you what documentary evidence you need to take to a local link to support your claim – this reduces the risk of a wasted visit and speeds up your claim. 
Less queuing and shorter waiting times in the local link; you can visit any of the eight local links in North Lincolnshire. 
Coun Carl Sherwood, of Brigg, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport and Leisure, said: “The new local taxation and benefits online service will make a great difference for people. It means that the service can be accessed all day every day rather than during office hours. It is quick and easy to fill in the online forms – saving you lots of time. You can do a whole range of things using the online service from letting us know you have moved house to applying for housing benefit. It will make the whole process much easier for everyone. Take a look at what you can do online at www.northlincs.gov.uk .”