shared room rate for under 25s - does it always apply?

puddy

i know of someone and her boyfriend who are both under 25 and have just taken a 1 bedroom flat in the bournemouth area for 400pcm

prior to this i advised that they should get a flat share or 2 single rooms to rent as they would both only be entitled to single room rent and if one of them got work (which they are hoping to do) their benefits will be affected by the other working

so then dismissed this and rented the flat

we assumed from the website (and i phoned bournmouth hb office) that the maximum that they would get for the property would be 316pcm which is the single room rent restriction for under 25s

housing benefit or whatever its called has now come through, giving them 415pcm. i have asked them to query this to ensure that they dont just suddenly get hit for an overpayment when hb realise they have made a mistake

they havent done this as they are convinced that their benefits will just stop if they query it.

so does the SRR always apply, why would they be getting the one bed flat rate when they are under 25, is it because they are both entitled to 316pcm separately? (I did question this when i rang bournemouth previously but she said that this isnt the case)

debrag

maybe they haven't been seen as a couple, joint tenants maybe? there isn't a under 25 and a couple rate.

dmg24

A couple under 25 living in self contained accom will receive the one bedroom rate.

Jowo_2

http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Library/PDF/Living/Revenue_and_Benefits/Local_Housing_Allowance/HB_LHA2_CP%20LHA%20for%20couples.pdf

http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Library/PDF/Living/Revenue_and_Benefits/Local_Housing_Allowance/HB_LHA2_U25%20LHA%20for%20under%2025s.pdf

They will be classed as a couple making their age, and the shared property rate, irrelevant in those circumstances.

Forum members generally warn against single tenants (those without children) under the age of 25 who need LHA from securing self-contained property, such as a 1 bedroom flat, as it will be unaffordable for them. Forum members tend to encourage single young adults without dependents to live in shared accommodation so they don't get penalised by that threshold. This forum sees loads of young tenants struggling with their living expenses who take on the burden of a place on their own as they are largely ineligible for the type of state assistance they hope will fill the shortfall between LHA and their rent. There's a thread here from someone on part time minimum wage employment who ignored the advice given and now finds they are left with £30 a month for their groceries.

puddy

i know i was reading it. i can only advise, i cant instruct her. she already gave up a job with accommodation because she didnt like it and then desparately wanted a flat to themselves

i'll look at those linnks but i specifically asked when i rang bournemouth if they would be restricted because of their age and she said yes. i also thought it said that couples without dependents under 25 will also be restricted to the single room rate, not a one bed flat

he has now found a part time job and i can see it going badly financially because it will affect their benefits, and they didnt restrict themselves. we lent them 30 quid the other week because they didnt have any food, only to pick them up at the supermarket and her say, 'look at this lovely cutlery drawer i found'. i cant stand it

puddy

http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/CouncilTax/Benefits/LHA/LHA_Rates.asp

this is what i had found previously, if you read level a, it seems to imply that even couples if they are under 25 would get the srr?? am i reading this wrong

dmg24

puddy wrote: »

http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/CouncilTax/Benefits/LHA/LHA_Rates.asp

this is what i had found previously, if you read level a, it seems to imply that even couples if they are under 25 would get the srr?? am i reading this wrong

You are reading it wrong. They do not fall into the Level A description.

puddy

thanks, i'll tell her

on another note, now that he has found work (hoping to start on 14th august) when should they declare their change of circs. I used to be a hb and ctb officer and told them, ASAP, but they dont want to do this,,, whats the latest they can do it, is it 4 weeks after the date of change still?

debrag

puddy wrote: »

thanks, i'll tell her

on another note, now that he has found work (hoping to start on 14th august) when should they declare their change of circs. I used to be a hb and ctb officer and told them, ASAP, but they dont want to do this,,, whats the latest they can do it, is it 4 weeks after the date of change still?

You need to asking why they don't want to tell them.

puddy

because they are convinced that any change in circumstances means that their benefits will stop for 4 weeks whilst they are sorted out. im not sure where they get this idea from. they're not trying to cheat the system, (i believe) but have got a slightly naive idea that if you dont do anything about something, it will all be alright

debrag

don't you have to give the date when things change and then benefits is changed from that date.

i.e.

Change in circ = 12 July 2010
When they declared changes = 12 August 2010
Benefits recalculatored = 12 July 2010