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You may be able to continue to get your Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or both for an extra four weeks after your Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment & Support Allowance stops because you or your partner start work or increase your hours or wages. The extra help is called an extended payment. It is paid irrespective of earnings. To qualify for the extra help you or your partner must satisfy the following:

• must have been entitled to Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance or Employment & Support Allowance continuously for at least 26 weeks (or any combination of those benefits in that period). At the date when entitlement to Jobseekers Allowance ceased this must be 'Income Based' and NOT 'Contribution Based' and the date when entitlement to Employment & Support Allowance ceased this must be 'income related' and NOT 'Contribution Based' ; or

• must have been entitled to Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disability Allowance continuously for at least 26 weeks.

• if your Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment & Support Allowance has stopped because you have started work, you must expect the job to last for at least five weeks.

• must be liable and remain liable for rent/Council Tax during the extended payment period (which could include liability on a new address).

• must  have been in receipt of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit which ceased due to the end of entitlement to Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance/Employment & Support Allowance.

We should automatically consider whether or not you qualify for extended payments, however, to be certain you are considered, you can either write to us or phone us within four weeks of starting work.