Housing Benefit will not pay full rent

proview

I am out of work, got my child aged 8 living with me full times. Claiming IS, DLA, CTC and child benefit and got under £6,000 saving in my bank. The housing benefit will not pay me full rent because of 1 child living with me in a three bedrooms house, they only pay 100% if my child living with me in a 2 bedrooms house. I had explain to the benefit that the council only offer me a 3 bedrooms house because there isn't any 2 bedrooms house available that time when I signed new tenant agreement with my council. It not my fault for living in a 3 bedrooms house. But, Housing benefit telling me that I must pay house rent at least 25% but they will pay rest of 75% full rent on my behalf. Mean I have to find £120 a month for the rent....how I gonna to afford that ? They suggest me to transfer my 3 bedrooms house to a 2 bedrooms house but I told them I am not moving because my child got friends around here, good neighbours, nearby school (a minutes walk away) and closer to GP doctor, dentist, local shop. Also, I had spend nearly £3,000 on my home improvement like new wooden floor, carpets, shower, cooker, fridge, washing machine. I don't want any more hassle or stress of moving out. Cos, I had changed alots of forms for new address on my home with DVLA, Bank, Doctor, Dentist and so on.

What shall I do ? Should I pay £120 a month or they should pay me 100% full rent because they only offering me a 3 bedrooms house last year.

MrsKelly_2

Hi, were you claiming when you first moved into this house or is this a new claim? If you were already claiming before you moved in they should have advised you about the shortfall before you moved? Have you been to CAB? They are probably the best people to ask.

proview

No, it was first time I was claiming housing benefit. The past 19 months I always pay full rent on my work wage but now I am out of job.

lil_me

You're then claiming LHA if it's a recent claim, Housing Benefit isn't used any more for new claims (from 7th April 2008)

With LHA there is a MAXIMUM they will pay towards a property based on how many people and ages of those people living in the property.

You can see the rates you will get by looking on the LHA site, going into your area and looking at the 2 bedroom rate. Any more than that you will need to make up the difference.

https://lha-direct.therentservice.gov.uk/Secure/Default.aspx

If it's a council tenancy it shouldn't be effected? Or are some councils different?

nottslass_2

If its a council or housing association property the LHA should not affect you.and you should be entitled to full housing benefit.

iloveme_2

have you applied for discretionary housing payments? i was in a similar situation as i was going to become homeless and could only find a 3 bedroom house and had no choice but to take it and pay the landlord the difference. anyway about 5 months into tenancy i heard about discretionary housing payments and got it for 9 months and found a smaller property to move into once that ended. hth

Rabiddog_2

Maybe you should get a lodger, that is what they are saying? Someone will surely pay more than £30 per week to live somewhere.. so problem solved..

fluffymovie

Hello. apologies if I have misunderstood but did the council find you this property on the rent deposit scheme?
If you were offered the 3 bed house and it is not a council house, the council should have done an affordability plan with you to see what you could afford. If you could afford it whilst working, sadly you are in the situation that your rent is now too high, you may need to consider moving.
Discretionary Housing Payments are only payable for short periods and are to help whilst you try to find other accomodation.
However, it sounds like you have decided that you will not move somewhere cheaper and as a result you will need to find the shortfall.
If the council housed you in a 3 bed themselves, then the rent would be reasonable and they would not usually use a calculation like 2 bed need Vs 3 bed house.