What are we entitled to?

chelttown

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me find out what my gf and I are entitled to.

I am a full time student and work part time earning about £140 a week. My gf works part time (30 hours a week) and earns about £180 a week. We are 23 and 22 respectively.

At the moment we are not claiming for anything, however the council want their council tax and its making it very difficult and would like to know if there was any support available?


Thanks

Caz3121

have a look at the turntous calculator but potentially nothing.

If you are in a private let you need to find the LHA rate for a 1 bedroom accomodation (even if the place you live in is larger)
As a full time student you cannot claim housing benefit/LHA but your partner can and will need to include all your income and they will also take into account your student funding and loans (whether taken or not)

You should be getting a 25% discount on the council tax due to student exemption

chelttown

Thanks, have already spoken to them, and they said that there was nothing we could apply for as I am a student was just hoping someone would know something I am missing!

AimeesMum_2

Unfortunately you aren't missing anything. Are you getting the 25% discount on your council tax already?

Can your girlfriend not take on more hours or is she a student too? Perhaps you could think about getting a lodger?

merlin68

Why can't you manage on £320 a week? plus your presumably getting student grants as well. I can't see you being entitled to anything.

chelttown

Yes we are getting the discount she does as much overtime as she can, however she is an artist and needs time to make artwork for exhabitions! It just seems everyone and their dog are entitled to something, well according to the news, but that doesnt seem to be the case!

AimeesMum_2

You are entitled to a fair bit if you have kids as they provide you with difficulty in taking on more hours or doing another job but if it's just you and your girlfriend then I'm afraid that you aren't entitled to much else.

chelttown

merlin68 wrote: »

Why can't you manage on £320 a week? plus your presumably getting student grants as well. I can't see you being entitled to anything.

Because rent is high around here, we found the cheapest one bed we could find is still over £600 a month. Also my job is only on a week by week basis, and without it we would really struggle. When we have being asking people what help we could receive they say that as I am a student even if didnt have a job we still wouldnt be entitled to anything.

chelttown

AimeesMum wrote: »

You are entitled to a fair bit if you have kids as they provide you with difficulty in taking on more hours or doing another job but if it's just you and your girlfriend then I'm afraid that you aren't entitled to much else.

I know, I just wish we were It seems crazy how much you would get it you have kids and/or are over 25 for working tax credits.

Oh well, will have to keep going untill I finish uni and can get a decent job!

Hammyman

chelttown wrote: »

Because rent is high around here, we found the cheapest one bed we could find is still over £600 a month. Also my job is only on a week by week basis, and without it we would really struggle. When we have being asking people what help we could receive they say that as I am a student even if didnt have a job we still wouldnt be entitled to anything.

So there's two of you and a one bed flat to heat.

There's a family of four in our house and a 3 bed house to heat. Our mortgage is £100 less than your rent. We can manage on £320 a week.

Oldernotwiser

You still haven't said if you're an HE student and get a loan/grant/bursary.