Housing Benefit Advice

Angela84

Hi,

Just been speaking to a friend who has a query on her Housing Benefit and thought you people might have some advice.

She handed in her notice 1st July, to move out 29th July. When she moved in she paid her months in advance out of her own pocket, and her last rent she paid was 1st July, and that should be it now.

However, she'll still receive her 2-weekly payments of housing benefit tomorrow, and then in 2 weeks again, 23rd July. On the 30th July she'll call the housing benefit people to say she has moved back to her parents, so no longer needs to claim.

Should she keep her H/B money to one side as she'll be asked to pay it back, or is it hers?

Many thanks x

Robbie64

Housing Benefit is paid in arrears whereas rent is usually paid one month (or whatever) in advance. The rent paid on 01/07/10 is rent to 29/07. The HB paid on 09/07/10 will be for the two weeks up to around that day, possibly to last Sunday. The payment of HB on 23/07/10 will again be for the two weeks up to around that date, again possibly to the previous Sunday. This means that not only can she still keep the HB money but she should be owed one or possibly even two weeks HB.

Angela84

Thank you very much Robbie.
I have in fact just called the H/B office (shouldn't really have bothered posting I suppose but might be useful for other people) and they have confirmed exactly what you've said, H/B is paid in arrears, so she is able to keep tomorrows payment, and the one in 2 weeks, and simply call up the day she's leaving and they claim will be suspended.
She's chuffed as that'll cover the last electricity, gas, and water bills.

Jowo_2

Local Housing Allowance is paid directly to the tenant of private landlords. How/when they pay their landlord is up to them. As long as the LHA received is legit, its hers. There's usually a lag because landlords expect their rent in advance but LHA claimants get them in arrears. It's just bad timing which causes a lot of confusion between the rental period and the LHA payment period.