Council Tax & Housing Benefit HELP!!

r197

Hey guys!
Not sure if I'm posting in the right place, please lemme know if I'm not!!

I was recently made unemployed, so went for JSA.
Then applied for COuncil Tax and Housing Benefit.

Got a letter through saying I would get both, but have to pay £40 a month for water/sourage rates, and also all they are paying for my rent is £60 a week (my rent is just over £100 a week!!)

Is this correct? Phoned local benefit services, and they're telling me this is right!

I get £46 a week from JSA from which I need to pay £10 towards my council tax, and £50 to my rent??!!! :eek:

Surely this can't be right!

I'm just slightly worried that things are all going to go nasty...
btw, I'm under 25 in Scotland..

Please help!

emmy05

are they assuming that you still have money put aside from when you were employed perhaps? altho if theyre telling you to pay more than what your incoming money is, doesnt sound right to me

r197

I gave them my last wage slip (which wasn't alot!)
And the money that I did get was used to pay this months rent...!

I know it doesn't sound right lol!

Just slightly confused and worried about it all!

emmy05

have you just rung them or have you actually gone in to see them face to face? did you get a run down of how theyve decided on how much rent, and council tax you pay at all?

emmy05

also, ring up CAB, ask them what they think too, cos it seems very odd to me tbh

seven-day-weekend

I think it may be because you are under 25, they will only pay the rent that they deem you would pay for a room in a shared house, so if it's more you have to find the rest yourself.

bestpud

Assuming it is similar/the same in Scotland, it does seem correct, I'm afraid.

The problem is they will only pay your HB and CTB on one bedroom in a shared house as far as I am aware. So if you have more rooms than this, or your own flat, say, you have to top up the rent.

Also, I have never known people get help with water rates. We certainly never have and have been on basic IS, DLA, and tax credits over the years. (Although I do recall a thread a long time ago on here which suggested some people do get help - I can't remember if it was a local thing though). Like I said, I've never known anyone get help with water rates.

bestpud

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I think it may be because you are under 25, they will only pay the rent that they deem you would pay for a room in a shared house, so if it's more you have to find the rest yourself.

Beat me to it!

justsayyes

Damn that is harsh!

justsayyes

How old are you by the way OP? Are you nearing 25?

real1314

Yep, all seems correct.

18-25 year old rate of JSA
Under 25 shared room rate of HB/LHA
Water rates are not paid for by benefits

HB/LHA will not pay rent in full regardless of the amount, they will only pay what is deemed to be a reasonable rent. For under 25s the expectation is that shared accomodation is suitable and so the amount allowed is based on that.