Housing benefits are making me move

Debz1966

Hello All

I'm on ESA, DLA higher rate for both I get a severe disability payment in with my ESA also.

I currently live in a privately rented bungalow that has 3 bedrooms and is £550 a month.

For the last two years I have been struggling to keep up with the rent even though I've been getting Housing Benefit, my son was living with me and so therefore they paid what I needed and I had to pay a shortfall of £97 which wasnt too bad. My son has now moved out and lives with his gf and they have recalculated my rent, I now have to find £155 a month.

My rent arrears just before christmas were at £1700, I managed to pay some off through selling my world goods and now I'm only one month in arrears, the arrears were caused through benefits being stopped for one reason or another (reviews and landlord checks even though I've been here 7 years and nothing has changed!).

I'm now owing £590 in arrears and the landlord is threatening me again for about the 4th time with a notice of possession.

I basically need some advice, I want to move (this place is too big) but I cant because I cant afford to and my credit history is bad so finding another landlord will be hell. I can't afford to pay them now £155 a month PLUS the £50 towards the landlord wants me to pay off the arrears also. I cant bear the though of going through a possession etc.

Please help with any advice possible and if you need to mail me then plz do so.

Many thanks

Debz

bob40

hi

sorry to here about your problems and like you i rent privatly for last 15 years in same house and i am an assured tennant and with all these cuts and stuff there is one thing that i will put first and that is rent

the problem you will have is getting another place on benefits so i would try as hard as poss to get your rent as near to normal as poss also when your son lived with you did they deduct rent from him because on dla you would not pay any non dependent deductions

make sure you check that and if it is the case you did as long as hb knew of your dla award they will back date all moneys owed because it would be classed as there error happend to me and got back a few grand

i hope if you have to move you can find someware to live but in this day and age and on benefits my rule of thumb is dont lose the house you are in if you can help it

Jowo_2

Contact Shelter asap for advice on how to tackle the arrears, double check your HB entitlement and your housing options. You might also find Dial UK are a good source of expert advice.

http://www.dialuk.info/about.asp

Rent arrears are considered a priority debt. Are you on HB (the old system) or LHA (the new system?). Have you applied for discretionary housing benefit?

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

The Debt Free wanabee board members can help you identify a strategy to deal with debt and can also suggest savings in your current expenses. To do this, they'll need you to post a SOA (statement of affairs) and there is plenty of advice on that forum on how to deal with it.

Some local councils operate a deposit guarantee scheme for those on low incomes/housing need. Some may have schemes where they work with local landlords who are HB friendly. Another MSE member will be able to indicate if you can apply for somekind of DWP loan for the first months rent/deposit.

Have you considered applying for social housing with the local council or housing associations? They award higher priority/points to those with disabilities.

Are you saying your son only paid about £60 per month rent when he lived with you or do I misunderstand this?

Pigletto

Jowo wrote: »

Are you saying your son only paid about £60 per month rent when he lived with you or do I misunderstand this?

Are you referring to the difference between the £97 shortfall when the son lived there and the current £155 shortfall?

I am reading that as when son was living there they were assessed at the 2 bed LHA rate and had to make up the shortfall as it's a 3 bedroom property. Now the son has moved out she is being assessed at the 1 bedroom LHA rate and so the shortfall has increased to £155.

Debz1966

Pigletto wrote: »

Are you referring to the difference between the £97 shortfall when the son lived there and the current £155 shortfall?

I am reading that as when son was living there they were assessed at the 2 bed LHA rate and had to make up the shortfall as it's a 3 bedroom property. Now the son has moved out she is being assessed at the 1 bedroom LHA rate and so the shortfall has increased to £155.

Your right pigletto, the landlord wants me to pay £50 per month off the arrears so with that and now a shortfall of £155 I'll be paying £205 extra per month.

They cant count my DLA when looking at my rent and according to the LHA guidelines I can only claim for a 1 bedroom allowance which is £364 per 4 weeks.


I've been told there is no housing in this area and that I will only get a 1 bed anyway, probably a flat, which i cant have because of my disability. I also need at least 2 rooms as my carer needs to stay with me on occassion.

I dont mind paying a shortfall as I have done this for nearly 7 years, I do however mind paying nearly £155 shortfall. This is annoying as people in council properties get a full rebate if on benefits.

also if I do find somewhere else to live I dont mind paying the extra for an extra room, I can use money from my DLA as its for help during the nights. BUT how can I afford to move? Moving costs alot of money. I also have to find deposits and key money, and with my arrears I would have to clear those also.

Jowo_2

Debz1966 wrote: »

They cant count my DLA when looking at my rent and according to the LHA guidelines I can only claim for a 1 bedroom allowance which is £364 per 4 weeks. ... I also need at least 2 rooms as my carer needs to stay with me on occassion.

I'm not sure that this actually applies to your situation but in the emergency budget, there is a proposal to start permitting the severely disabled who have a live in carer to have the 2 bedroom rate.

Debz1966 wrote: »

I've been told there is no housing in this area and that I will only get a 1 bed anyway, probably a flat, which i cant have because of my disability..

Not even a ground floor flat with adaptions? Not able to put up the carer on a sofa bed in the living room?

Debz1966 wrote: »

I do however mind paying nearly £155 shortfall. This is annoying as people in council properties get a full rebate if on benefits.

Not for much longer - social housing tenants will in future not be able to receive full housing benefit where there is under occupancy. There are plans to make deductions for each empty bedroom.

Debz1966 wrote: »

BUT how can I afford to move? Moving costs alot of money. I also have to find deposits and key money, and with my arrears I would have to clear those also.

Council deposit guarantee scheme? Social services assistance? Credit union or DWP loan? Discretionary housing payment to mitigate the arrears?

Here is some useful advice and links here

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HomeAndHousingOptions/YourHome/DG_10039672

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HomeAndHousingOptions/YourHome/index.htm

bob40

Debz1966 wrote: »

Your right pigletto, the landlord wants me to pay £50 per month off the arrears so with that and now a shortfall of £155 I'll be paying £205 extra per month.

They cant count my DLA when looking at my rent and according to the LHA guidelines I can only claim for a 1 bedroom allowance which is £364 per 4 weeks.


I've been told there is no housing in this area and that I will only get a 1 bed anyway, probably a flat, which i cant have because of my disability. I also need at least 2 rooms as my carer needs to stay with me on occassion.

I dont mind paying a shortfall as I have done this for nearly 7 years, I do however mind paying nearly £155 shortfall. This is annoying as people in council properties get a full rebate if on benefits.

also if I do find somewhere else to live I dont mind paying the extra for an extra room, I can use money from my DLA as its for help during the nights. BUT how can I afford to move? Moving costs alot of money. I also have to find deposits and key money, and with my arrears I would have to clear those also.

hi


you have said that you have been in current property for 7 years if so then would you not be on old housing benefit rules and not lha because if thats the case your bedrooms will not be counted

i was told this by another member on here who works in housing benefit so i am confused as to why you are quoting lha unless i have missed the point and you had a major change in your award like moved or a break i believe of at least a week

hopefully the member might look in and add a reply

p.s as far as your dla is concerned they do count that in housing benefits because when your son was living with you they should not take non dependent deductions out of your award if you son was working because you would have been excempt

pandaspot

hi

yes bob40 is correct you should be on the old scheme of hb and not on lha. have you had a significant break in your claim? if you are on the old scheme then lha rates do not apply to you

however if you are on lha and you do have a carer as jowo said you will be allowed the additional room so you will be on a 2bed rate.

see http://www.dwp.gov.uk/local-authority-staff/housing-benefit/claims-processing/local-housing-allowance/2011-changes/

bob40

pandaspot wrote: »

hi

yes bob40 is correct you should be on the old scheme of hb and not on lha. have you had a significant break in your claim? if you are on the old scheme then lha rates do not apply to you

however if you are on lha and you do have a carer as jowo said you will be allowed the additional room so you will be on a 2bed rate.



ahh just the person this op needs this is the member i was on about thanks for posting