Housing Benefit guide Discussion Area

fluffymovie

picassopete wrote: »

I am a HB tenant in the private sector. I couldn't agree with you more. i have always wanted my LL paid directly as i think this would encourage a few more LL to accept HB tenants. Unfortunatly tenants have to be 8 weeks in arrears before councils will consider paying direct.
We are about to move into a new property and i didn't know until recently that if a LL reduced the rent, ideally to the LHA rate, councils will pay direct. I realise not all LL can afford to do this but it may be of help to someone.

I work in HB and was very pro LHA being paid to the tenants. The goals of it were reasonable in my mind - encourage budgeting, enable them to withold if repairs not done. There has always been a safeguarding provision that if the tenant is a cant or won't payer, councils can pay to the landlord but HB is NOT rent, It is a benefit calculated on what someone pay's. Quite often, paying HB to a landlord encourages the landlord to think that they have a contract with the council and not the tenant which is not a legal basis on which it operates.

However, from April 11, we can pay a landlord directly if a) there is evidence they have reduced the rent to LHA rates b) the tenancy can only be secured if direct payments are made c) the rent is affordable

fluffymovie

helperinneed wrote: »

does having a child trust fund which i control count towards my capital, anywhere i can get the information from

thanks for the reply

Nope, it's the child's money

DeeBrown

I have no other income, I am not able to work due to medication etc.
I get income support of £98 week and a disability allowance of £150 per month
I am 30 and rent a 1 bedroom flat.
I have been told by letter that no HB will be paid from now on, and my rent is £450 month.
Thanks for your reply, not sure |I can get to a neighourhood office as I have difficulty getting out and rely on someone to do my shopping for me.

money_saving_hedgehog

Can anyone tell me the quickest way to claim Housing Benefit (sefton). It advises that it is the online method, however I am not sure how you go about providing evidence. Am I am to print off an application form and take it in to the local office with all my evidence. Also does anyone know how long claim will take. Thanks

BigAunty

DeeBrown wrote: »

I have received housing benefit for 8 years, I am mentally ill and unable to work and today have just received the letter to say that I will only get about £50 month which means I will be homeless. I pay to a private landlord and have done for 9 years and its £450 a month, I have to top up now and have no spare money from my income support, what do I do, desperate and scared.

Contact Shelter asap. See their information on their website about homelessness, how to apply to the local council for re-housing. Some applicants who are disabled should be treated as a priority.

In another post you say you receive DLA - what rate/type is this? This is important for us to know your LHA rate.

Have you been affected by the changes which mean those under 35 (used to be 25) are only entitled to a room in a shared house rather than the 1 bedroom property rate?

BigAunty

DeeBrown wrote: »

I have no other income, I am not able to work due to medication etc.
I get income support of £98 week and a disability allowance of £150 per month
I am 30 and rent a 1 bedroom flat.
I have been told by letter that no HB will be paid from now on, and my rent is £450 month.
Thanks for your reply, not sure |I can get to a neighourhood office as I have difficulty getting out and rely on someone to do my shopping for me.

In January, there was the very well publicised change which means that those under the age of 35 can no longer qualify for the 1 bedroom rate of LHA and are expected to share properties, thus they qualify for much lower rates of LHA.

Did you not receive any notification by the council about the change?

There are certain exemptions - for example, the severely disabled, those who have been in care, I think, etc. That's why you need to specify your DLA type/rate.

In terms of your mental health issues, are you receiving any kind of treatment or support?

mcjordi

when does all this actually come into force?

my house is rented off a local housing association ( i think) used to be a council till it all went to one.. now im currently in 2 Bed house aand the rent is paid atm by HB

from what im reading as im not privately rented these changes wont affect me? is that right? im quite worried atm. im gonna speak to the council in the moring to see what is happening

blondebabe40

Dont know if anyone can help me with this issue at all. I am new to this!!
I am a mortgaged owner occupier of a 2 bed terraced house, I have a 10 yr old boy and a 13 month old little girl. As a couple my partner doesn't work as he has been made redundant and I work 17 hrs per week in a school. We claim child tax credit and as things have changed, no longer get any working tax credit.
Basically we need a 3 bedroomed house. The local council have agreed this, and added us to their infinate list, however as we are owner occupiers, we are on the lowest band G and therefore its highly unlikely we will ever be offered anywhere!!
We have tried to sell our house, reducing the price substantially three times, but no luck. What I want to know is, if we rented out our house to cover the mortgage, would we be entitled to HB on a 3 bed property. We are on a very low income (eligible for free school meals) and have no savings at all. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.:)

BigAunty

silver_ghost wrote: »

Hi all.I am under a housing association.Although I have read, the new rules don't seem to affect me,I received a booklet from them today,going on about the Benefit changes and about the number of rooms.I phoned them and they asked if I wanted to downsize,I replied No,I want information on if I can stay here.After a bit of humming and arghhing,I was told they do not have that kind of info and I should contact housing benefits.

I have lived in this house 50 plus years,it was my parents 3 bedroomed house and I became a tenant in 1984.I married in 1996 and made my Wife a joint tenant. My Wife now claims pension credit for both of us because she is older than me.

We have been on housing benefit for over 10 years,apart from reporting changes in circumstances there has been no break in the claim.So can the Government touch us on this bedroom tax.We sleep in separate bedrooms anyway because of health problems.

She is on High Rate Mobility and Low Rate Care.But this may change through Atos and the New PIP even though she had a indefinite award.

Most of the facts that you provided are entirely irrelevant to the ‘bedroomtax’ whereby social housing tenants from April next year face a small reductionin their housing benefit for unoccupied rooms. For example, the following have no influence whatsoever

- The duration of your tenancy

- That you succeeded you parents on the tenancy

- That you sleep in separate bedrooms so that you only consider one roomunoccupied

- The duration of your HB claim without a break

- The disabilities mentioned (as I believe that only tenants who have anon-resident overnight carer are eligible for an extra bedroom)

What might make you exempt from the changes is that it excludes those ofstate pension age and this might also cover younger claimants in receipt of pension credit. The following thread may have useful links onthis topic. Do also raise it with your HB department or see if Age UK have ahelpful fact sheet as it’s quite a complex topic.



https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3874391

BigAunty

silver_ghost wrote: »

We have our grandson over to stay.We have put up daughters when their relationships broke up,saving the Taxpayer money.

.

Wouldn't take the judgemental posts personally as unfortunately keyboard warriors are very common.

However, now you come to mention it (and to help anyone reviewing this thread in future that is seeking help), the hosting of visitors is also ignored as a reason to be exempt this 'bedroom tax'.

As far as I can tell, it's pretty much only those of state pension age and possibly those in receipt of pension credits who are younger than state pension age that are automatically exempt, plus the severely disabled that require overnight carers who live elsewhere.