Benefit advice for couple

burkey365

Advice needed, i am no longer able to work having spent time in hospital with a bad virus which has made me disabled. I claim ESA income based, DLA high mobility and middle care, receive Housing benefit and council Tax benefit as i now live in a disabled 1 bedroom flat..lost my job due to illness but have now been lucky to fall in love. I have met a single mother of a 12year old who works part time and receives Working tax credits and child tax credits and i believe 25% off her council tax bill..The dilema is that i am shortly to be moved back to a normal council house and would like her and her son to move in with me.I know i should be content with love but am scared how this would or may affect us financially because i know i will never work again so cant think oh in the future i will have a high paid job to look after us all. Would we as a couple lose out a lot. Please help

missmontana

I think it will depend how many hours she does and how much she earns.

You can have a look at the entitledto.co.uk site, it will give you an idea to what you will receive.

But surely you'd be better off if you only have one lot of rent and bills to pay!

burkey365

She works 28hrs per week and earns about £180 per week...i know 1 rent and bills makes sense but if its full rent and council tax and i lose my benefit then we would be worse off, i just need to be sure because that will be my and also our income for the rest of our lives

dmg24

It does not have to be the income for the rest of your lives - is there a reason why she cannot work more hours?

I would be very surprised if, taking into account economies of scale, you are worse off living together.

burkey365

i believe i would lose my esa and housing benefit, thats almost £180 per week though is this not true

dmg24

burkey365 wrote: »

i believe i would lose my esa and housing benefit, thats almost £180 per week though is this not true

You will not have separate rent to pay, so I don't see the problem in losing your HB.

Have you done a calculation on entitledto?

seven-day-weekend

Is there any reason why your girlfriend can't work full time? You as a couple don't have to live off your Benefits for the rest of your lives.

She could be the main breadwinner and you will only have one lot of rent/Council Tax to pay. You will still receive your DLA. So therefore you will have her wage and the DLA. Many people live on less.

And if your income as a couple is small enough you will still be eligible to apply for help with rent and Council Tax.

C_Mababejive

I presume you have asked her if she wants to move in and shes agreeable?