People on a low income

People on low incomes can get help to pay their rate bill. If you or you and your partner are of state pension age you can apply for Housing Benefit and Rate Relief. If you are getting Universal Credit you may be entitled to Rate Rebate to help pay rates.

Qualifying for help paying your rates

You may be entitled to help with your rates bill if:

you have a low income
you are entitled to Pension Credit
you are entitled to Universal Credit

To read more information about Housing Benefit and Rate Relief, go to:

Tenants or homeowners getting Universal Credit

If you're already getting Universal Credit and need help paying your rates, you should apply for Rate Rebate.

Homeowners and tenants applying for Rate Rebate

Getting help to pay your rates bill

For information about schemes that could help you pay your rates, contact the Rate Rebate team online.

Benefits calculator

Use the benefits calculator to find out if there are benefits you may be entitled to:

Benefits calculator

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about your GRONI account, email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme, email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about 60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly. We don't have access to information about you.

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Select a language

People on a low income

Qualifying for help paying your rates

Tenants or homeowners getting Universal Credit

Getting help to pay your rates bill

Benefits calculator

More useful links

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What to do next

Carer's Allowance

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Disability Living Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Personal Independence Payment

Translation help

Select a language

People on a low income

Qualifying for help paying your rates

Tenants or homeowners getting Universal Credit

Getting help to pay your rates bill

Benefits calculator

More useful links

Help improve this page - send your feedback

Messages

What to do next

Carer's Allowance

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Disability Living Allowance

Employment and Support Allowance

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Personal Independence Payment