Private renters can get help to pay their rent. If you are not already getting help to pay your rent, you should claim

• housing benefit if you are over pension age, and
• Universal Credit [1] if you are below pension age. 

Both benefits use a system called Local Housing Allowance to calculate how much help private renters get with rent. A different system is used to calculate your benefit if you have been claiming housing benefit to pay your rent since March 2008 or earlier.