Help with Fees for the £47 rent tribunal fee: the tenant eligibility walkthrough

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 sets the rent tribunal application fee at £47. That is one of the lowest fees across HMCTS — deliberately low to keep the tribunal route accessible to tenants. But £47 is still real money for tenants on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or low wages.

Help with Fees can cover the £47 in full or in part. This is the eligibility walkthrough — what counts, what doesn't, the EX160 form, the evidence you need, and what to do if your application is rejected.

England only. Plain English. We assume you have already received a Form 4A and are considering a tribunal challenge.

What Help with Fees actually is

Help with Fees (HwF) is an HMCTS scheme that waives or reduces court and tribunal fees for people on low incomes or low capital. It applies to most HMCTS fees, including the £47 rent tribunal application fee under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

It is administered through:

• The online service at gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees
• Or Form EX160, posted to HMCTS

Either route gives the same outcome. The online service is faster (5-10 working days for a decision); the paper form takes 2-3 weeks but is the right choice if you do not have reliable internet access or prefer to provide hard-copy evidence.

[!info] Help with Fees vs legal aid Help with Fees only covers the application fee. Legal aid pays for a solicitor or barrister. For a typical rent tribunal challenge you do not need a solicitor — the tribunal is designed to be accessible to tenants without representation, the rules are plain English, and most cases are decided on written evidence. Help with Fees is what you actually need. Legal aid is a separate scheme; you apply for it separately if you do need legal representation.

The income test

The first part of the eligibility check is your gross monthly income.

Income that counts

• Wages or salary (gross, before tax and NI)
• Self-employed earnings (gross profit per month)
• Pension income (state pension, occupational pension, private pension)
• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Carer's Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Most other taxable benefits and allowances
• Maintenance received (if regular)
• Investment income (interest, dividends)

Income that does not count

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Attendance Allowance
• Child Benefit
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Support
• War pensions and forces benefits (limited)
• Most one-off lump sums
• The first £10 of student grants and loans (limited circumstances)

The thresholds (typical 2026 figures)

These thresholds are set by HMCTS and updated periodically. Always check gov.uk for the current numbers — these are typical at the time of writing.

Household type	Full fee waived (gross monthly income up to)	Partial waiver	No waiver (above)
Single, no children	£1,420	£1,420 - £4,000	£4,000+
Couple, no children	£2,090	£2,090 - £4,800	£4,800+
Single, 1 child	£1,665	£1,665 - £4,400	£4,400+
Single, 2 children	£1,910	£1,910 - £4,800	£4,800+
Couple, 1 child	£2,335	£2,335 - £5,200	£5,200+
Couple, 2 children	£2,580	£2,580 - £5,600	£5,600+

Each additional child adds approximately £245 to the threshold.

If your gross monthly income is at or below the "full fee waived" figure, you pay £0. If above the partial-waiver ceiling, you pay the full £47.

[!warning] Always check current thresholds The figures above are illustrative for April 2026. HMCTS reviews them annually and the tribunal fee itself may change. Get the current numbers at gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees before you apply.

The capital test

The second part is your capital — money in the bank and other readily-convertible assets.

Capital that counts

• Cash in any bank or building society account
• Cash ISAs and stocks-and-shares ISAs
• Premium bonds
• Stocks and shares held outside ISAs
• Money under the mattress
• Money loaned to others that you can call back
• A second property or holiday home (rare for tenants)

Capital that does not count

• Equity in your only or main home (rarely relevant — most renters don't own a home)
• Personal possessions (car, furniture, clothes)
• Tools of your trade (relevant if self-employed)
• Pension funds (in most cases)
• The first £10,000 of capital for those aged 61 or over

The capital limit

For most working-age applicants, the capital limit is approximately £3,000. If you have more than that in countable capital, you fail the capital test even if you pass the income test.

For applicants aged 61+, the limit is higher (because the first £10,000 is disregarded — so the effective limit is around £13,000).

For couples applying together, the combined capital is tested against a slightly higher limit (typically £4,250 for working age).

[!tip] If you are just over the capital limit If you have £3,500 in savings but otherwise qualify on income, you have two options. (1) Spend the £200 over the limit on legitimate expenses (rent, food, utilities) before applying — this is fine, just keep the receipts. (2) Pay the £47 yourself and apply for HwF retroactively if your capital position changes within the application window. Do not just transfer the money to a family member — that is treated as deprivation of capital and the application can be rejected on that basis.

The EX160 form: section by section

Whether you apply online or on paper, the same questions are asked. Walk through each.

Section 1: About you

Name, date of birth, address, contact details. Standard.

Section 2: About your case

Type of case (tick "tribunal"), case number if known (you may not have one yet — that is fine, leave blank), the fee you are asking for help with (£47 for rent tribunal applications), the court or tribunal (First-tier Tribunal Property Chamber Residential Property).

Section 3: Your income

Tick the benefits you receive. If you receive Universal Credit, you usually qualify automatically — list your most recent UC award amount. If you receive a state pension, list the gross weekly or monthly figure. If you work, give gross monthly income from wages.

If self-employed, give gross profit from the last 3 months — average it out per month.

Section 4: Your partner's income (if applicable)

Same as Section 3 but for your partner.

Section 5: Your capital

Total cash in all bank accounts (current + savings + ISA + premium bonds). Do not include your home equity. Do not include pension funds.

Section 6: Children and dependants

Number of children under 18 living with you. Number of other dependants.

Section 7: Declaration

Sign and date. False declarations are an offence — be honest.

The evidence you need

The form by itself is not enough. You also need supporting evidence.

If on Universal Credit

• Your most recent UC award letter (showing the monthly amount)
• Or screenshots of your UC dashboard showing the most recent payment
• Or a print-out of your last UC statement

This is usually all the income evidence required.

If working

• Your last 1-3 wage slips (paper or screenshots)
• Or a letter from your employer stating gross monthly pay
• Plus a bank statement showing the wages going in

If self-employed

• Your last set of accounts (if you file them)
• Or 3 months of bank statements showing income
• Plus a brief calculation of average monthly gross profit

If on a pension

• DWP letter confirming state pension amount
• And/or pension provider letter for occupational/private pensions

Capital evidence

• Most recent bank statement(s) for every account in your name (and partner's)
• Most recent ISA statement
• Premium bonds holding statement (if applicable)

Most rejected HwF applications fail because evidence is missing. Send everything in one go.

How to apply: online vs paper

Online

Go to gov.uk/get-help-with-court-fees. Sign in or create a Government Gateway account. Fill the form online — it takes 15-25 minutes. Upload evidence as PDFs or photos. Submit.

You get a reference number immediately. Use that reference when you submit your tribunal application — it tells the tribunal a HwF application is pending and to hold the fee.

Decision typically arrives by email in 5-10 working days.

Paper (Form EX160)

Download Form EX160 from gov.uk. Print it. Fill in by hand. Attach photocopies (not originals) of your evidence. Post to the address on the form.

Decision arrives by post in 2-3 weeks.

Use paper if you do not have reliable internet, do not have a Government Gateway account, or want to keep a hard copy of everything.

What to do if you are time-pressured

If your Form 4A change date is close — say, less than 30 days away — and the HwF decision will not arrive in time, your safest move is:

1. Pay the £47 yourself when you submit the tribunal application. Most tenants can find £47 even on a tight budget; ask family or friends for a temporary loan if needed.
2. Apply for HwF in parallel. Note in the HwF form that you have already paid the fee and want it refunded if approved.
3. If HwF approves, you get the £47 back from HMCTS.
4. If HwF rejects, you have lost £47 but gained the tribunal hearing.

This is preferable to missing the tribunal application deadline because HwF was still being processed. Under the Renters' Rights Act, if you miss the deadline (the change date), the rent increase takes effect and you no longer have a tribunal route on that notice.

Three example scenarios

Scenario A: Single tenant on Universal Credit

Mira, 28, lives alone in Manchester. She receives Universal Credit at £980 a month. She has £400 in her current account and no other capital. Her tenancy started 18 months ago. She has just received a Form 4A proposing £950 for a flat that is currently £820.

Help with Fees outcome: Full waiver — she is well below the income threshold, well below the capital limit, and qualifies on her benefit status alone. She pays £0 for the tribunal application.

Application route: Online. Decision in 5-10 working days. She files the tribunal application immediately and notes the HwF reference number.

Scenario B: Working couple, low income

Mark and Priya, both 35, share a flat in Leeds. They have one child aged 4. Mark earns £1,800 a month gross; Priya works part time at £1,100 a month gross. Combined gross monthly income £2,900. They have £1,800 in joint savings.

Help with Fees outcome: Partial waiver — combined income above the full-waiver threshold for couple-with-1-child (£2,335) but well within the partial-waiver range (up to £5,200). Capital under the £4,250 couple limit. They will pay roughly £20-30 of the £47, with the remainder waived.

Application route: Online. Decision in 5-10 working days.

Scenario C: Pensioner on guarantee credit

Reg, 73, single, retired, lives in a one-bed flat in Plymouth. He receives £1,150 a month from state pension and Pension Credit (guarantee credit). He has £8,500 in a cash ISA. His landlord has just served a Form 4A increasing rent from £600 to £750.

Help with Fees outcome: Pension Credit guarantee credit is an automatic passport — he qualifies for full waiver on income. Capital £8,500 is below the £13,000 effective limit for over-61s. Full waiver, £0 fee.

Application route: Paper EX160 — Reg prefers post and has the time to wait 2-3 weeks. He applies for HwF on Monday and his Form 4A change date is two months away, giving him plenty of room.

Five common rejection reasons (and how to fix)

1. Missing bank statements

The single most common rejection. Send a current bank statement covering the last full month for every account in your name and your partner's name. If you bank online, screenshots of your account dashboard work — make sure the date and your name are visible.

2. Capital over the threshold

If your savings are over the limit, you fail. Wait until your savings drop (after rent or bills), then reapply. Or pay the £47 yourself and skip HwF.

3. Income over the threshold

Recalculate your gross monthly income carefully. Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit, and Carer's Allowance all count and bump some applicants over the threshold unexpectedly. If you are over the full-waiver threshold but under the partial-waiver ceiling, you still get a partial waiver — that is not a rejection.

4. Wrong fee amount

The rent tribunal application fee is £47 (April 2026). If HMCTS thinks you are applying for a different fee (say, £255 for a county court fee), they may reject. Specify clearly: "First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Residential Property — rent tribunal application — £47".

5. Form not signed

Sounds obvious. Sign the form before sending. Online forms self-sign via Government Gateway login.

What to do if rejected

You have 14 days to challenge the rejection by filing Form EX166. Common challenge grounds:

• "You miscalculated my income — please recheck with this evidence"
• "You assessed me as having capital that I do not have — please recheck this account statement"
• "I qualify on benefit status (UC / Pension Credit guarantee credit) which is an automatic passport"

Send Form EX166 with any new evidence. Decision typically in 1-2 weeks.

If still rejected, you can apply for judicial review — but for a £47 fee this is rarely worth the effort. Pay the £47 and proceed with the tribunal application.

What if my circumstances change after the application?

If you applied for HwF, were rejected, then your income drops or you go onto Universal Credit — you can reapply for the same case with the new circumstances. If your tribunal application is still active and the fee was originally paid, the new HwF approval can refund the fee retroactively.

Five practical tips

1. Use the online service if you can — faster, easier, lower error rate
2. Apply for HwF before you apply for the tribunal if your timeline allows — saves you fronting the £47
3. Send evidence in one go — missing-evidence rejections are common and avoidable
4. Keep a copy of everything you send — the form, the evidence, the reference number
5. If time is tight, pay the £47 and apply for HwF in parallel — never miss the tribunal deadline because of HwF processing

When the £47 is genuinely worth it

Even if HwF is rejected and you pay the full £47:

• Average tribunal cases reduce the proposed rent by 5-15% of the increase
• A £100/month increase reduced by £30/month saves £360 over 12 months
• Net benefit of paying £47 to save £360 = £313

For most contested rent increases, even paying the full fee is good value. HwF makes it a no-brainer for tenants who qualify.

The bigger picture

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 sets the rent tribunal fee at £47 — deliberately low to keep the route open. Help with Fees pushes that to £0 for tenants who need it most. The combination is the most accessible rent challenge regime England has ever had.

If you have just received a Form 4A and the £47 is a barrier, work through this guide, gather your evidence, file the EX160 (or apply online), and proceed with confidence. The system is built to be used by tenants like you.

For the rest of the first-week tenant playbook, see Your Form 4A just arrived.