do you get extra housing benefits for being disabled?

bubbles1000

do you get extra housing benefits for being disabled??

AsknAnswer

No. But Disability Living Allowance is not taken into account as "income" for the purposes of a housing benefit calculation.

Out of curiosity, why would a disabled person require any more help with their rent than anyone else?

Macro_3

People who are disabled can get various extra premiums in their applicable amount, which is used in calculating their entitlement to housing benefit. So you could have two people on the same income/rent/capital etc, one disabled and one not, and the disabled person might well get more housing benefit. So it's not as simple as saying that the disabled get extra housing benefit, but all other things being equal it's true.

They can also (as under 25's, under certain conditions) get the self-contained 1-bed rate of LHA rather than the shared room rate that someone else of their age would get.

Surely it makes sense that someone who is disabled will generally have higher living expenses, and should therefore have more of their income disregarded when calculating how much help they get with rent?

kingfisherblue

If an adaptation is required, you may be able to get some help with a Disabled Facilities Grant, but this is not a housing benefit as such.

AsknAnswer, I wondered why a disabled person would need extra help with the rent as well.

Morgan_Ree

Macro wrote: »

Surely it makes sense that someone who is disabled will generally have higher living expenses

How exactly?

dmg24

Morgan_Ree wrote: »

How exactly?

Limited mobility, higher care needs?

Indie_Kid

Morgan_Ree wrote: »

How exactly?

Extra heating, washing, extra clothing, etc. And what dmg said.

AsknAnswer

That is precisely what disability living allowance is for, and precisely why it is not taken into account for a housing benefit calculation.

bubbles1000

i was only asking because i do not currently get full housing benefit and have been struggling ever since iu swapped my DLA for a car, wish i just kept the money!