Homeowner with unemployed partner

the_insider

Hi all,
I am wanting some advice regarding housing benefits. I own my own home and my boyfriend lives with me. He lost his job in August and since then we have been really struggling to make ends meet. I work full time plus all the overtime I can get and come out with about £1000 after tax each month but he is only receiving JSA. I have to pay the mortgage, bills, council tax, car insurance and running costs on my own and his JSA goes toward food bills (he's big into his food and costs a fortune to feed!!).

When we first found out he'd lost his job we went to the benefits office for some help and tried to apply for housing benefit. We were told that as we were a couple we weren't eligible for anything but if he had been my lodger he would get benefits toward his rent. Is this right? I don't see how it can make a difference, he's still using gas and electric in the house (through the day when the house would otherwise be empty) and I've lost my single persons discount on the council tax.

It doesn't seem fair to me that just because I have been responsible with my money and been fortunate enough to buy my own property we don't get any assistance when we need it. Does anyone know of any way we might get some extra help?

dmg24

He would be eligible for LHA if he was a lodger because he would be liable to you for his rent. He is not eligible for LHA now because the idea of a partnership is that you support each other, and therefore your income is taken into account.

Can he not find any work at all? The longer he is out of work, the more difficult it will be to find work.

NASA_2

Life isnt fair so feeling sorry for yourself isnt going to be much use. I wouldnt advise lying about your living situation in order to (Potentially) get some level of support from the state.

healy

the_insider wrote: »

Hi all,
I am wanting some advice regarding housing benefits. I own my own home and my boyfriend lives with me. He lost his job in August and since then we have been really struggling to make ends meet. I work full time plus all the overtime I can get and come out with about £1000 after tax each month but he is only receiving JSA. I have to pay the mortgage, bills, council tax, car insurance and running costs on my own and his JSA goes toward food bills (he's big into his food and costs a fortune to feed!!).

When we first found out he'd lost his job we went to the benefits office for some help and tried to apply for housing benefit. We were told that as we were a couple we weren't eligible for anything but if he had been my lodger he would get benefits toward his rent. Is this right? I don't see how it can make a difference, he's still using gas and electric in the house (through the day when the house would otherwise be empty) and I've lost my single persons discount on the council tax.

It doesn't seem fair to me that just because I have been responsible with my money and been fortunate enough to buy my own property we don't get any assistance when we need it. Does anyone know of any way we might get some extra help?

As said you are treated as couple for benefits purposes, I really cannot see the problem as couples are supposed to support each other.

Oldernotwiser

the_insider wrote: »

JSA goes toward food bills (he's big into his food and costs a fortune to feed!!).
?

Your boyfriend's JSA should easily cover his food, share of the bills and the 25% council discount that you've lost. If it doesn't work out like this, perhaps you ought to question whether he's pulling his weight financially in the household; his JSA isn't given to him for pocket money!

PasturesNew

If he were living alone he'd get the same amount of JSA - and that would have to cover his electricity/gas, water, TV license, contents insurance, phone line, broadband ... AND ... food.

He should be taking his responsibilities on board and coughing up some money to you for his share of the bills.

dktreesea

Unfortunately the benefits system is geared up for couples to live apart rather than together. I know a couple of people in your situation who would like to live together but can't afford it, because one owns his own home and works and the other rents and is currently unemployed (they live in Merthyr, she used to work at the Hoover factory and has been unemployed since it closed) so gets her rent and council tax paid plus JSA. And yes, the guy gets a single person council tax rebate.

dmg24

dktreesea wrote: »

Unfortunately the benefits system is geared up for couples to live apart rather than together. I know a couple of people in your situation who would like to live together but can't afford it, because one owns his own home and works and the other rents and is currently unemployed (they live in Merthyr, she used to work at the Hoover factory and has been unemployed since it closed) so gets her rent and council tax paid plus JSA. And yes, the guy gets a single person council tax rebate.

Whatever happened to living together because you love each other? Did love go out of fashion?

Oldernotwiser

dktreesea wrote: »

Unfortunately the benefits system is geared up for couples to live apart rather than together. I know a couple of people in your situation who would like to live together but can't afford it, because one owns his own home and works and the other rents and is currently unemployed (they live in Merthyr, she used to work at the Hoover factory and has been unemployed since it closed) so gets her rent and council tax paid plus JSA. And yes, the guy gets a single person council tax rebate.

But that's the same situation as the OP. The amount the unemployed person gets for JSA should cover the extra expenses the working person would have if she moved in and her JSA would cover this.

I really don't see the problem.

seven-day-weekend

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But that's the same situation as the OP. The amount the unemployed person gets for JSA should cover the extra expenses the working person would have if she moved in and her JSA would cover this.

I really don't see the problem.

Neither do I, unless before he was unemployed they needed his money to pay the mortgage.

If the OP was paying everything on her own anyway, before he moved in, thn I don't see why it is a problem.

Voyager2002

I hope the OP is aware that her partner is almost certainly receiving contributions-based JSA, which is paid for a maximum of six months. After then, her income will be taken into account in deciding whether or not he needs income-based JSA, and I doubt very much if he would get anything. So they need to be saving right now; or she needs to encourage him to find some kind of work; or she needs to decide whether the relationship is worth the amount of money she will need to spend supporting him.

Funny to think that it used to be men who had to face issues like these!