What else can I claim

Luke1982

Hi,
Got a letter today saying I have been accepted for ESA (£64) a week, and I'm currently on lower rate DLA which however will be apparently increased to middle rate and lower rate mobility.
Is there anything else I can claim? Can I claim housing benefits I live with my partner and we rent from a private landlord, my partners name is the only name on the lease..can I still claim housing benefits?

dmg24

Why is your DLA being increased? Have you applied for a review?

Any claim for LHA will be based on your household income.

Luke1982

My DLA is being increased due to a change in my disability, preventing me from working the doctors have said im not allowed to go back to work.

dmg24

Have you actually applied for a DLA review? Your original post sounds like you are assuming it will happen, but have not had it confirmed.

Luke1982

Yeah its getting done this Tuesday coming up

dmg24

You are still not making sense - what do you mean by 'its getting done'? If you had received an award letter the increase would have already been applied. Do you mean someone is submitting a review application for you? If so, you should be aware that an award is never guaranteed until it has been processed by the JCP.

roonaldo

no you cant claim housing benefit as technically you are not renting the property. get your name on the lease

Macro_3

roonaldo wrote: »

no you cant claim housing benefit as technically you are not renting the property. get your name on the lease

Incorrect. He can claim housing benefit (LHA now) as it would be a joint claim with his partner and she is the tenant.

Edited to add - obviously entitlement would depend on your joint income/capital.

uganda

OP, what is your partner's income?

And is your ESA contribution-based or income-related? If the latter, have you actually told the DWP that you have a partner?

As macro says, your benefit entitlement, if any, will depend on your household income - do you have dependent children? This, for example, will affect entitlement.

As you are receiving the care component of DLA, there will be no deductions made for any other adults living in the property.

But there are lots of other variables. You need to expand on your full situation.

My main piece of advice though, is to just go and make a claim anyway for Housing and Council Tax Benefit. It will be valid from the Monday after you claim - again there are variables on this, if you are on income-related ESA for example, you have a month in which to claim from the date ESA is awarded. But one way or another, just get your claim in ASAP - the worst that can happen is you don't qualify.