Housing Benefit Enquiry

newsaver40

Hi All,


Just after some advice.

I currently live in a 2 Bedroom House with my 3 year old daughter and am currently unemployed and currently receiving Housing benefit and income support.

I have a male friend (not partner) who has to move out of he's current accomadation due to unforseen circumstances and I have agreed to help him out - he will be living with me until he resolves he's current housing situation.

I would like to know where I stand - will I lose some of my benefits?

Obviously, I will inform the Housing Benefit Dept of my change in circumstances.

My friend will be sharing the living area, bathroom, kitchen, garden and will be sleeping in the living area.

I also wanted to know, approx how much my friend would have to pay towards the rent and council tax?

Any advice/info would be greatly apreciated.

[Deleted User]

Firstly is your friend working at all? If they are not working then I presume that your housing/council tax benefit will stay the same, although you will still have to inform them. If he is working then they might take his income into consideration and the amount of housing benefit might go down, also if he is working then council tax benefit will stop as there are 2 adults in the property, no discounts given when one is working.

As for Income support, I can't advise as I don't know how they work, as he's not your partner I can't see them being able to touch your tax credits etc and maybe income support is the same, it would only change if he was your partner. However thinking about it, would they suspect he was your partner?

I would get some advice first about what benefits stand to change and see if it really is worth your while doing, either that or maybe he will have to pay for any difference in monies for him moving in?

SuziQ

I believe he will come into the category of 'non-dependants' and you will lose a portion if not all of your housing benefit. You need to go on the advice site of the council you lve in who pays your Housing benefit as all the sites seem to say something slightly different. It may also affect your income support (I think) if he is earning as he will be expected to contribute to the running of the home. You need to get some proper advice about this BEFORE you let him move in to ensure you are not going to make your current situation worse-ie you and your daughters income and current home etc needs to be your utmost priority over helping out a friend. I hope one of the proper 'experts' on here can advise you as I am pretty woolly on these types of benefit.

newsaver40

Yes, he is in full-time employment (self-employed). I would like to know what percentage he would have to pay towards the rent?

[Deleted User]

As he's in work you will lose any council tax benefit, so this will go back to the full amount. Will he be ok to pay the full amount for this each month as he is the reason for the change?

newsaver40

Will he have to pay all the rent or just a percentage of the rent? Will I still get my share of the Housing Benefit?

Oldernotwiser

I would think that you might well have difficulties in proving that you're not a couple, particularly in light of there being only 2 bedrooms in the accommodation.

[Deleted User]

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Advice_and_benefits/Benefits/Benefits_calculator.aspx

Try this website out, it's the council benefit calculator for our area, but will give you a good idea of what to expect. It has a bit for non-dependents, so see what it says, play around with the figures. It depends on how much he earns.

SuziQ

newsaver40 wrote: »

Yes, he is in full-time employment (self-employed). I would like to know what percentage he would have to pay towards the rent?

Not sure what you mean.

As this seems to be a private arrangement between you rather than you sub-letting etc then he will obviously have to at least make up the difference for you in what you lose in all your benefits. If you look at other threads on here on this subject you will see that often the amount lost by the person with the tenancy is often so much it would make more sense for the second person to get another place of their own rather than move in. You really do need to get all your figures sorted out before you take this step as you may well decide it's just not worth the hassle. Sometimes nosy neighbours etc cause all sorts of hassle reporting people as being a 'couple' and you can end up getting investigated when all you wanted to do was help a firend! A visit to your council advice centre will sort all this out for you-don't just go on what you are told on here as councils all differ slightly.

As I have said there are many many threads on this subject if you do a search and most of them show the whole issue of 'sharing' can be extremely problematic.

newsaver40

ok, thanks - I'll check it out.

[Deleted User]

Agree with oldernotwiser, I don't know how they would know this for certain. They might ask for proof of his current situation - moving out due to unforseen circumstances etc. But I don't know if you could prove that he was not there for 'other' reasons - otherwise everyone would do that with their partners/boyfs to get more money!