Housing benefit & shared house

garfield33

Hi MSE

I live with 2 other people in a privately-rented shared house. We all have separate tenancies, and so are not liable for each other's rent should one person fail to pay.

One of my housemates has lost her job, and has been filling in applications for JSA and housing benefit - the housing benefit form asked for the names of the people she lives with.

Will my housemate claiming these benefits affect us in any way? Would we become financially linked to her? Neither of us claim anything currently, but you never know in the future.

Cheers

missdemeanour

If you all have separate tenancies then your housemate does not need to tell the Housing Benefit people your names. She doesn't actually live with anyone as she has a tenancy in her sole name. All Housing Benefit will need to know is that she rents a room with shared facilities.
Those housing benefit forms are always confusing, that question in particular.

fluffymovie

Just check your council tax as you may already be linked.

If you are liable for the council tax, the council will have your names. Really the question on the hb form is for non dependents and people considered part of the claimants household rather than separate households in the same property if that makes sense!!

garfield33

Not sure about the council tax - our landlord pays all the bills, and they are covered in our rent each month. So I would guess everything is in his name.

Myself and the other housemate are on the electoral register, but the lady whose lost her job has only been in the house about a month and I don't know if she's told them.