Housing benefit full payment

brunettegirl

My dad is on pension credits and is retired, he rents and does not get all his rent paid - there is around £50 a month to make up which is a massive struggle. I am confused as to why they don;t get all the rent paid,
I know people younger without children that do.
Is there something he can do?
they had a rent review with the local council last year and given 20p yes 20p a month increase.

Suggestions please

karenx

It could be that his LHA rate is above what his rent is therefor he will have to make up the shortfall.

Jowo_2

If its related to the cost of the rent versus the Local Housing Allowance rate, he could look to find somewhere cheaper. I believe that at the moment, tenants are even able to keep a modest sum if they live in a property where the rent is less than the LHA rate, though this will probably get withdrawn in the future.

brunettegirl

their area does not yet have LHA the website says it will by 2012
the rent is 400 a month for a 2 bed terraced that doesn't seem very high? Are there schemes that can help to provide bonds? they have no spare cash to save up to move into another private property average is £1,000 to move in. They are on the list for council housing but nothing so far...

DX2

You mention "they" but you only tell us he gets PC, maybe "they" have too much money coming in.

brunettegirl

they = mum and dad - mum has no income dad only recieves pension credit and nothing else. there isn't any other money coming in and they are in a massive financial mess. Im trying to find ways to make things easier for them both.

karenx

They may be entitled to descretionary housing payments but they are for a max of 6 months. Does your mum not get a pension etc?

brunettegirl

no, mum doesn't get anything, dad claims as a couple. Thanks for that, but whats a descretionary housing payment?

karenx

They will top up to the full rent payment but its only a short time thing. They need to be thinking long term and what they will do.
Can you not loan them some money to move to a cheaper place? As when LHA kicks in they will only get a 1 bedroom rate, it wont allow for 2 bedrooms

Jowo_2

Perhaps one reason they are struggling is that they get a HB rate based on a 1 bed property but are living in a 2 bed property whose rent is going to be higher than the limit, based on the local market?

Put their details through the Entitled To website.

Many local councils operate deposit guarantee schemes where they sort out the deposit for tenants on low income.

LHA has been in place for 2 years! I understand though, that those on HB aren't automatically transferred to LHA, that it doesn't apply retrospectively, but that many are gradually porting over HB tenants onto LHA. I also understand that LHA applies to all new tenancy agreements and that some landlords/tenants arrange a new contract to facilitate this because LHA tends to pay higher rates (though I understand that perhaps it requires a break of a week in the contract, perhaps someone can confirm?).

Again, look at the info on the council's website relating to HB/LHA or ask Shelter for advice.

Remember that LHA rates are based on certain size of properties for certain size of households. There's absolutely no restriction on a tenant finding themselves a smaller or larger property in terms of the number of bedrooms but the rate of LHA will be focussed on their entitlement.

brunettegirl

The local website has a calulator to estimate what you would get - it doesn't ask the size of the property just your income and if you are a couple it says they would be entitled to 92.31 a week which still leaves 30.76 a month to find.

I gathering from the reponses that the answer is no, if they want to have a 2 bed property they won't be given the full amount.

Thank you for the help - much appreciated