Claiming jsa and paying rent to parents..?

Hi all, i just wondered.. im currently claiming jsa and living at home with my parents, i know that if you live on your own and are on jsa that you get your rent paid for, but my parents have said they want me to start paying rent. Can i get that paid for or does it have to come out of my jsa?

Thanks, chris
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  • NASA_2
    NASA_2 Posts: 5,571 Forumite
    chris1989 wrote: »
    Hi all, i just wondered.. im currently claiming jsa and living at home with my parents, i know that if you live on your own and are on jsa that you get your rent paid for, but my parents have said they want me to start paying rent. Can i get that paid for or does it have to come out of my jsa?

    Thanks, chris
    There has to be a legal agreement in place between you and your parents. That much I know. It wouldnt be out of your JSA though it would be LHA or HB.
  • montyrebel
    montyrebel Posts: 646
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    i pay mine out of my JSA i wouldnt even ask them to pay it especially as I am living at home
    mortui non mordent
  • alwaysonthego_2
    alwaysonthego_2 Posts: 8,471
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    NASA wrote: »
    There has to be a legal agreement in place between you and your parents. That much I know. It wouldnt be out of your JSA though it would be LHA or HB.
    That would only apply if the parents had a house that was BTL and they did not live with the op.

    Otherwise the op would not be entitled because he lives with a close relative.


    When you will be treated as not paying rent

    In some situations, the local authority may treat you as if you are not responsible for paying the rent, even though you have to pay it and you will not get Housing Benefit. This will be the case if you have a rental agreement the local authority thinks is ‘non-commercial’, for example, because it is not legally enforceable.
    You may be excluded from Housing Benefit by this rule if you pay rent to a close relative who also lives in the home
    http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/help_with_your_rent_-_housing_benefit.htm#who_can_get_housing_benefit
  • zzzLazyDaisy
    zzzLazyDaisy Posts: 12,497
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    NASA wrote: »
    There has to be a legal agreement in place between you and your parents. That much I know. It wouldnt be out of your JSA though it would be LHA or HB.

    You cannot normally claim LHA/HB if you are living with a family member.

    If you are under 25 and move out into shared accommodation you would be entitled to the LHA rate for a room in a shared house. However, this does not cover gas/electricity/water bills, or your food which would all come out of your JSA.
    I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.
  • healy
    healy Posts: 5,293
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    chris1989 wrote: »
    Hi all, i just wondered.. im currently claiming jsa and living at home with my parents, i know that if you live on your own and are on jsa that you get your rent paid for, but my parents have said they want me to start paying rent. Can i get that paid for or does it have to come out of my jsa?

    Thanks, chris

    It has to come out of your JSA.
  • meggymoo311
    meggymoo311 Posts: 37 Forumite
    You cannot claim anything for rent if you live at home and are on JSA. But if your parents were out of work and you were earning you would be expected to pay part of the rent or mortgage. I would love to meet the people that make up these rules.
  • NASA_2
    NASA_2 Posts: 5,571 Forumite
    You cannot normally claim LHA/HB if you are living with a family member.

    If you are under 25 and move out into shared accommodation you would be entitled to the LHA rate for a room in a shared house. However, this does not cover gas/electricity/water bills, or your food which would all come out of your JSA.
    Well, it is, or was, different where I live.

    I enquired many years ago about claiming housing benefit and was told that I could as long as an agreement was in place. It must have changed.
  • thorsoak
    thorsoak Posts: 7,166
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    Although you are not working, JSA is your income, out of which you have to keep yourself. You should be contributing to the family costs - you must be using electricity/water/eating etc - you shouldn't expect your parents to continue to fund you.

    When my children were at home, their sole income was through their employment. We expected them to pay towards their keep from their income (out of which they also had to pay their fares etc to work).

    Why should you not pay them from your JSA? Maybe only a small proportion of it - they won't expect to profit from you - but you are using their resources!!
  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,816
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    Of course you should be paying your parents rent.
    You are using their electric, gas, water and they are presumably feeding you too. Even if you got your own place you would have to pay for these yourself.

    Take responsibility for yourself and give you parents a bit of help.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • zzzLazyDaisy
    zzzLazyDaisy Posts: 12,497
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    NASA wrote: »
    Well, it is, or was, different where I live.

    I enquired many years ago about claiming housing benefit and was told that I could as long as an agreement was in place. It must have changed.


    Yes, things have changed. The new LHA rules are very clear on this.
    I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.
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