Applying for Rate Rebate
To claim Rate Rebate, you must be entitled to Universal Credit. You apply online for Rate Rebate. Before you can apply, you need to create a Rate Rebate account online. Time limits might apply to backdating a Rate Rebate claim.
Eligible for Rate Rebate
You can apply for Rate Rebate if you're already getting Universal Credit and you're:
- a homeowner living in your own property
- a tenant living in social housing owned by the Housing Executive
- a tenant living in social housing owned by a housing association
- a tenant living in private rented housing
You can't apply for Rate Rebate if you live in supported accommodation.
Rate Rebate account
There are two steps to claiming Rate Rebate. You must:
- create and activate your online Rate Rebate account
- log in to your Rate Rebate account and apply
Appointee claiming on someone’s behalf
If you're another person's official appointee, you can claim Rate Rebate on their behalf. You must use your email to create a Rate Rebate online account. You fill in the claim for Rate Rebate with their information.
You can act as an official appointee if:
- the Department for Communities appointed you
- you have a power of attorney
- you’re appointed by a High Court order
Getting an email address
If you don’t have an email address, find out how to create your email account.
Create your online account
To create an online account for Rate Rebate, you must:
- register your email with a password
- include your name
It’s important to note your password as you’ll need this each time you log in. When your online account is registered, you’ll receive an activation message immediately by email. You need to activate your Rate Rebate account by logging in.
You need your email and password each time you want to log in to your Rate Rebate account.
How to apply for Rate Rebate
Once you activate your account, you need to log in to apply for Rate Rebate.
You should claim Rate Rebate as soon as possible after you're awarded Universal Credit. If you don’t apply within three months, you might lose some of your entitlement to backdated Rate Rebate.
Homeowner’s information
To claim Rate Rebate, you must provide:
- your date of birth
- National Insurance number
- information about other joint owners also living in the property
- information about a partner if you have one
A ‘partner’ refers to your husband, wife or civil partner, or the person you live with as if they were your husband, wife or civil partner.
Information about your property
You need to know the postcode for your property to find the address online. If you don’t know your postcode, you can use a postcode finder:
You can also contact Land & Property Services:
- Contact the Rate Rebate team online
- telephone 0300 200 7802
Tenant’s information
To claim Rate Rebate, you must provide:
- your date of birth
- National Insurance number
- tenancy reference number for social housing tenants
- information about a partner if you have one
- landlord information
- how many people also live in the property
LPS will ask your landlord to verify the number of other people living at your address.
Tenancy reference number
If you don't have or know the tenancy reference number, you should ask your social housing landlord.
Information about your property
You need to know the postcode for your property to find the address online. If you don’t know your postcode, you can use a postcode finder:
You can also contact Land & Property Services:
- Contact the Rate Rebate team online
- telephone 0300 200 7802
Information about your landlord
If you’re a tenant in private rented housing and want to claim Rate Rebate, you must include:
- your landlord’s name, telephone and email address
If your landlord uses a letting agent, you’ll need to give the agent’s contact details.
If you’re a tenant in social housing, you must select your landlord from a list. The Housing Executive and registered housing associations are listed.
Unregistered housing associations
If your landlord is an unregistered housing association, you must provide the same information about your landlord as a private tenant.
An unregistered housing association must register for a landlord Rate Rebate online account.
Renting your home from a family member
You aren’t entitled to Rate Rebate if the landlord is your or your partner's close relative and they live in the property.
A close relative means your or your partner's:
- parent
- parent-in-law
- son
- son-in-law
- daughter
- daughter-in-law
- stepparent
- stepson
- stepdaughter
- brother
- sister
You can't claim Rate Rebate if the landlord's partner is your or your partner's close relative and they live in the property.
Verifying information for your Rate Rebate claim
When processing your claim for Rate Rebate, LPS will verify the information you provide.
You must pay your rates until you get a decision about your application for Rate Rebate.
Time limit for claiming backdated Rate Rebate
There is a three-month time limit for claiming Rate Rebate if you want your claim backdated. You can claim Rate Rebate from the date you're awarded Universal Credit. If you claim within three months of this date, Land & Property Services (LPS) may backdate your Rate Rebate. They can backdate your claim to the date your entitlement to Universal Credit started.
If you don't claim Rate Rebate within three months of your Universal Credit award, LPS can't backdate Rate Rebate to the date your Universal Credit entitlement started.