Housing Benefit reduced by £21.93 per WEEK!

dmg24

Good morning catastrophe10,

Could I ask, is your home in need of repair? The Rent Officer can set a lower amount where he feels the property is not up to standard. Also, you should still be told the amount that you have been assessed against. The HB rents used to be published on the Rent Service website, but I'm not sure whether they are now.

On a positive note, I would much rather challenge a Rent Service decision than one from the LA. If need be, another Rent Officer will come out to you, and whilst they do not have to discuss their decision with you, they tend to be much more willing to listen than members of the LA.

Keep us informed!

catastrophe10

Hey DMG, No house is fine - same as it has always been? I dunno, am clueless - what will be will be, but I will fight this to the end. My Psychiatric nurse has just phoned, is also miffed...am thinking of making an appointment with CAB - if it looks like I will have to change claim to LHA I would appreciate some back up.

Will keep you posted.

Thank you for your time and expertise

Keep well

Wee_Willy_Harris

catastrophe10 wrote: »

Hey DMG, No house is fine - same as it has always been? I dunno, am clueless - what will be will be, but I will fight this to the end. My Psychiatric nurse has just phoned, is also miffed...am thinking of making an appointment with CAB - if it looks like I will have to change claim to LHA I would appreciate some back up.

Will keep you posted.

Thank you for your time and expertise

Keep well

The change to LHA should be simple and painless. ANY change in circs can trigger an LHA claim. Even changing the lead tenant from one person to the other. However, if this isn't possible then it'd just a matter of closing your HB claim and putting in a fresh claim for LHA with a short gap between the two (usually 1 week, but check with your own LA). Obviously, you won't recieve any benefit during the break but if it means you are £20+ better off then it won't take long to catch up. It may also be worth applying for LHA direct to LL, which your CPN etc could support. But check the numbers before you do anything as LHA wouldn't automatically be higher than HB and you wouldn't want to make yourself worse off.

Oldernotwiser

I still can't believe that someone can get away with charging £750 pm rent in Selby!

catastrophe10

Oldernotwiser its the house my carer rents it was £600 when we moved in 5 years ago, now its £700. I pay half that rent £350 as I have to live with someone, I am at risk of hurting myself - the cheapest flat I can find nearby is £337 per month that is above a shop, id have no problems with this if I could live alone - am I supposed to burden the state even more by then having to have 24 hour care at home, or living in hospital full time?

Im not asking for or expecting for my entire rent to be paid, just the £216 per month which I was recieving, Ive been finding the shortfall out of my DLA for years, its just what I now have to find has doubled overnight. I really dont think Im asking a lot when some folfs are getting in excess of £216.00 per week HB?

ash4becks

thought this would at least make you a bit happyer over the silly council found this in the budget just made and i hope it stays in place too x


2.55 From April 2011, Housing Benefit claimants with a disability and a nonresident
carer will be entitled to funding for an extra bedroom. (34)

Mrsunseeker

It looks like what happened to us. The council was paying the rate before LHA came into affect then April when LHA rates came into affect our went down. We was expecting this so had planed for it when looking at rental properties.

debrag

catastrophe10 wrote: »

Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to reply.

No I do not live in London, I dont think £350.00 rent is a lot per month, a one bedroom flat in this area £355 - £375 per month, they are paying me £160.00 so Looking around at other rents if I was living alone I would be paying a great deal more. I can not live alone, I need 24 hour care, hence the Higher rate care of my DLA, a proportion of which I use to pay the shortfall - I live with my carer who is NOT my partner. This time last year a rent assessor came to visit me at home and my rent was put up £25.00 per week due to my disability???? Makes no sense

Didn't you say in a different post that you each pay £350. If a 1 bed is £355-375 thats a big jump to a 2 bed price.

mgirl_2

Take care when deciding whether to move to LHA - you might want to see what happens to rates in your area followign the budget. LHA at present is based on median rents (where 50% of rents are higher, and 50% are lower - for given property size), but they are movign to 30th percentile, so 30% of the way up from lowest to highest rents. LHA rates in general will fall, so you might be better off staying on your old scheme rent.
Two further thoughts:
1. have you applied for DHP? Good luck with the appeal - but if it fails, ask about DHP if you haven't already.
2. is there a charity associated with your mental health issues that might be able to offer advice or help? eg, Some act as landlords themselves.

catastrophe10

debrag wrote: »

Didn't you say in a different post that you each pay £350. If a 1 bed is £355-375 thats a big jump to a 2 bed price.

I never said it was a two bedroom property. My carer works for himself - it is a three bedroom property

Am I being tested here?