Information about the Housing Security Benefit
As a measure for supporting those who are finding it difficult to pay therent for their current housing due to income decrease resulting frombusiness shutdown, etc., we pay rent to their landlords, through local
municipalities, for three (or up to nine) months.
City Hall

Formerly

pays the rent directly to your landlord!

You are eligible for the benefit if…

you left a job or closed your business two years ago or less.
Since April 20, 2020
you may lose your current housing due to income decrease
as a result of having left a job or closed your business twoyears ago or less, or resulting from your employer’s or yourown business’ shutdown, etc.

A simpler application process was adopted on April 30
You no longer need to register with the Public Employment Security
Offices (Hello Work) to apply for the benefit.
Please visit the self-reliance support centers in your area to applyfor the Housing Security Benefit.
List of the Self-Reliance Support Centers
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000614516.pdf
For smartphone or tablet users:

FAQs
Q: Can you be more specific about “those who are finding it difficult to pay the rent for theircurrent housing due to income decrease resulting from business shutdown, etc.?”
A. It refers to those who are under financial strain as a result of reduced working days orhours through no personal fault and to those who are in such a situation due to a significant
decline in job openings. See the following for examples:(Example 1) A sports gym instructor who was working for four to five days a week, but who iscurrently working for two to three days a week because of the gym’s partial shutdown.
(Example 2) A freelance interpreter who was scheduled to work at a two-week event forguests from overseas, but who has found that the event was cancelled due to self-restraint
request.
(Example 3) A worker who had two part-time jobs, but who currently has only one because
the employer who provides the other job shut down the business due to economic slowdown.
(Example 4) An owner of an inn that received many reservations cancellations due to selfrestraint request.
The above are merely some examples. Local municipalities are instructed to be flexible inhandling claims for the benefit.
Q. How am I supposed to prove that there is a possibility that I may lose my current
housing due to income decrease resulting from having left a job or closed my business twoyears ago or less or resulting from my employer’s or my own business’ shutdown, etc.?
A. If you are an employee, you will be requested to show the work contract stating theconditions of work and a work shift table provided by your employer through which we cancheck that your days or hours of working have been reduced.
If you are a proprietor, you will be requested to show a document through which we cancheck that the opening days or hours of your business have been reduced. If you areworking on a contract basis, you will be asked to show a document through which we cancheck the cancellations of or a decline in orders received.
As proof, you can also use a document showing that you are a recipient of the Council ofSocial Welfare’s special loan.
A petition form is available for those who do not have the aforementioned documents.
Q. I am a freelancer, and I am getting significantly less work. Am I eligible for the Housing
Security Benefit?
A. Yes, you are eligible. Freelancers and self-employed workers can make a living for a while
by working as a part-timer, etc., if they want or need to. You need not give up on being afreelancer or self-employed worker to receive the benefit.