housing benefits?

worried36

Hi,

I have just applied for JSA, I am not sure if they will punishing me for quitting myself since the job gave me health problem.

I am using a friends address because he owns is flat so I feel that it is safe to use that address, I know I will get the mail.

I am living some weeks with one friend and then I stay with another friend and then another. Some of hem are letting me stay for free and others have agreed that I will pay them when I have a job again.

It is very tiering having to change where I am sleeping so often and I want to rent a room now. I have 300 pounds so I might be able to find a room. I would have to apply for housing benefits until I get a job but my worries are that I will get a room and then for some reason they wont approve the housing benefit. I cant see any reason for them to say no but I will be worried until I know for sure. If they decided that I wont get JSA from the date I applied it from, would that affect my housing benefit application?
I would prefer not to tell that I am applying for benefits but if for some reason they say no, what would I do? I have always paid my rent on time.

bexmark_2

Not being awarded JSA should not affect your entitlement to HB; you should be treated as on nil income for any sanction period and so entitled to your full rate. You may have to show how you are meeting normal living costs, like eating, but this is usualy a quick statement to say that you are living off savings or a parent/friend is helping out. It more of a formaility to check for undeclared resources.
As far as renting a room goes, there should be no reason why any landlord would be advised that you are in receipt of HB. Under the current Regs, it would be paid directly to yourself into a nominated account and then you could set up a Standing Order or withdraw the cash to pay the rent.
Best piece of advise, just in case to cover yourself, would be to make sure that you do get something in writing from the landlord with the terms of the tenancy and receipts for all payments, (or a record of the S/Order on account statements). The HB section would want some proof of a commercial rent agreement, but also it would cover you if the landlord should prove to be less than scrupulous in the arrangement. I've worked with too many people who think that a verbal agreement and cash in hand is fine and then get sc**wed over by a dodgy l/lord.
Finally, before you commit to a tenancy, check with the local authority what the Local Housing Allowance rate is for shared accommodation - this will represent the maximum that they will pay up to and warn you just in case you have to make up any shortfall.
Best of luck