Housing Benefit guide Discussion Area

nellykim

nellykim wrote: »

Hi there people.. Could anyone help with this query please ?

Would a single person, living in a one bedroom privately rented flat, and on disability living allowance, who has lived there since 2000 , and who gets Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit have anything extra to pay when the changes come in please ?

( Addition to tis question )

The one bedroom private flat is being altered in March, to make it into a 2 bedroom house (with the alteration of the downstairs flat , which is unoccupied at moment ) so the landlord has said the rent increase will be double, or notice to quit, and the 3 weeks needed to make the renovations complete, he has suggested the tenant make arrangements to live elsewhere, and then move back, but pay the extra rent.

The person inquestion has lived there as a private tenant, singly, in this one bedroom flat, since 2000. We have not approached the council yet, to see if there is any further help. I just thought I would ask anyone here, please ?

The council have been paying most of the rent in hb. The person is on dla middle care component and higher rate component for mobility, but doesn't need a carer during the night.

Thankyou for any information at all.

bzjane

Can anyone tell me if I will be able to claim HB If I rent from my brother? I lived with my younger brother until his death in May 2011. He died inestate and the property is divided between myself an 3 siblings. By the time the mortgage is paid off and my siblings get their share (assuming property is sold at reasonable price), I will be left with approx £20,000 which I already owe to my elder brother. He is offering to take over the property and rent it to me. I can see no other option as the flat needs work doing to make it habitable and I can't afford to get it done and when I approached the council they said they couldn't do anything until probate was sorted and I became sole owner. I am on income support with a disability premium and I have recently been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and diabetes.

DeeLeigh90

Iam 22, a single mum of one who is three years old currently living in a 2 bed house and am on housing benefits. Me and my boyfriend have recently spoke about living together but dont know if we can afford it as iam in a private rented place and know that council will not give me a place any time soon as to them iam adequetly housed. My boyfriend does work so where does that leave us? Will I still be entitled to housing benefit? If so how does it work as i know i will not be entitled to the full amount.. does it calculate over how much hes earnings are? Do i keep any of my other benefits?

geordie_joe

BigAunty wrote: »

You are probably going to not find this funny, but the reason why payments were switched to the tenants in the move to LHA from HB is to empower them, make them take responsibility for their budget and improve their employability, increase choice of properties for them.

Yet if you rent from a Housing Association it can be paid to them from the start.

LotsaLuck

Hi there,

I have claimed housing benefit continually and under the same claim number since before April 2008 (since 2007), but have moved properties twice and, as I am self employed, the amount I get has been adjusted slightly in relation to my earnings. Do these changes count as 'breaks' in my claim?

The new rules seem to state that existing claimants that have had a continual claim since before April 2008 won't be affected... have I misunderstood..?

I think my anniversary date is April, so if there are changes, and I'm not making any new changes, they will come in to play in April 2012?

FYI in case it's needed.. I am 34 (35 in Aug 2012), live alone in a 2 bedroomed flat.

Thank you :A

BigAunty

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018928




"If you have been getting Housing Benefit since before 7 April 2008, the Local Housing Allowance will only apply to you if you:

• change address
• have a break in your claim

...

There are important changes to Local Housing Allowance from 1 April 2011.
If you are making a new claim, these changes will apply to you from this date.
If you are already claiming Housing Benefit, you may have more time before these changes apply to you. ."

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/paying_for_a_home/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/housing_benefit_for_private_tenants

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/paying_for_a_home/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/housing_benefit_if_you_are_under_35

LotsaLuck

Hi BigAunty - is this in response to my question? I have read exactly those guidelines, I just don't know what "have a break in your claim" means - does it include having my claim temporarily stopped while the council review my earnings (although they have always subsequently carried on paying me in a slightly different amount).

BigAunty

DeeLeigh90 wrote: »

... My boyfriend does work so where does that leave us? Will I still be entitled to housing benefit? If so how does it work as i know i will not be entitled to the full amount.. does it calculate over how much hes earnings are? Do i keep any of my other benefits?

HB (or local housing allowance for private properties) is based on income, and means tested benefits (which this is) does factor in a partner's earnings as it is expected that couple's support each other.

You can identify the maximum LHA or HB on the local council website. You can model your new benefit entitlements on the Turn2us online benefit calculator which will show the change to all means tested benefits.

However, do download the MSE budget planner so you can identify the massive savings that come from combining 2 separate households.

BigAunty

LotsaLuck wrote: »

Hi BigAunty - is this in response to my question? I have read exactly those guidelines, I just don't know what "have a break in your claim" means - does it include having my claim temporarily stopped while the council review my earnings (although they have always subsequently carried on paying me in a slightly different amount).

Yes, sorry, I can't elaborate on this, it's a shame that their advice doesn't answer your specific question. You could either contact Shelter for further clarification, ask the council or post a separate new thread on this forum which will give it greater attention than belonging to this big long one.

turkleton

LotsaLuck wrote: »

Hi BigAunty - is this in response to my question? I have read exactly those guidelines, I just don't know what "have a break in your claim" means - does it include having my claim temporarily stopped while the council review my earnings (although they have always subsequently carried on paying me in a slightly different amount).

A break in your claim would be having your claim terminated for a period or changing address. If your benefits were temporarily stopped it sounds like they were suspended and this doesn't count as a change in your circumstances.

Hope this helps.