Housing Benefit

PennyCrayon_2

Hi All,

I am currently living as a lodger and would like to know whether it is possible to claim housing benefit to help pay the rent.

I am currently job seeking as my employment contract has now ended and i am worried that i will struggle to pay the rent if i do not find something soon.

I desperately need to pay the rent as my landlord relies on the cash to pay bills etc.

I do not want to have to take benefits but my main priority is keeping a roof over my head whilst i find another job. I have always worked and understand that i am entitled to it if the need be.

Can anyone give me some advice on this matter?

Many thanks

Stroof

If you are job seeking you should sign on for JSA and they will advise you if you are entitled to Housing Benefit, which will be means-tested - what savings, what partner income etc.

SuzySu

Perhaps you could also check on www.entitledto.org which will give you some idea.

Oldernotwiser

Yes, you can claim HB (now LHA) if you're a lodger but if your rent covers bills then you'll be asked for a breakdown of the amounts as utilities need to be paid out of your JSA.

shjo558

It's quite a complex area and it would depend if you are a boarder (LL provides somes meals) or just a lodger who rents a room.

Can you advise if any meals are provided by your landlord?

Also, does your landlord own the property or rent? If they rent, are they allowed to take in lodgers/boarders according to their tenancy agreement?

shjo558

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Yes, you can claim HB (now LHA) if you're a lodger but if your rent covers bills then you'll be asked for a breakdown of the amounts as utilities need to be paid out of your JSA.

Doesn't really work like that for LHA as it's just the shared LHA that is treated as eligible rent.

Oldernotwiser

shjo558 wrote: »

Doesn't really work like that for LHA as it's just the shared LHA that is treated as eligible rent.

Sorry, I didn't think that needed saying but you're quite right to spell it out.

PennyCrayon_2

Hi,

I do not get meals. I am just rent a room in the house which is all inclusive.

PennyCrayon_2

Will claiming LHA affect my future chances of getting a mortgage?

It doesn't really look good if i say that i had to claim benefit to pay my rent.

Emmzi

PennyCrayon wrote: »

Will claiming LHA affect my future chances of getting a mortgage?

It doesn't really look good if i say that i had to claim benefit to pay my rent.

loads of people have to at some point.
mortgage lenders dont ask for a complete employment history. usually they want to know you've been with current employer a year or so, sometimes less, and that generally you have been in work.

So if you are applying 1 - 2 years down the line after being in work, you'll probably be ok. (I'm guessing you need this time to save a deposit anyway?)

It's horrible being on benefits if you have other options, but it happens to loads of us. Don't fret, just all part of being human in the UK!

hippy-chicy

The assessor dealing with your claim might also want to look at the commerciality of you tenancy as well. This is normally just an extra form filled in by your landlord just to confirm what the arrangements of you agreement are and what would happen if you didn't pay your rent etc. Nothing to worry about and i only mention it as we pretty much look at the commerciality of every live in landlord/ lodger HB claim.

You'll get the shared room rate of LHA for your area in the month you apply.
Good luck with it anyway :0