Housing benifit miscalculated?

HappyMJ

That rule of deducting CSA from benefits changed last year. They ignore CSA payments in the calculation now. But isn't any small payment better than nothing even if it is only £15 per week. You are over 25 now you will be entitled to some Working Tax Credits (if you do 30 hours employed or self employed) and if you haven't worked for a year it'll probably be full working tax credits of about £53 per week. You will also be entitled to claim Housing Benefit and as you pay CSA you can apply for and most probably will be approved for a DHP. Have you looked at the entitledto website and played about with some figures?

marrow85

Hmm hadn't heard about the csa change very glad! Always irritated me that I struggled to see my daughter and do things with limited funds when I was paying so much that she never got.

Will have to give the tax credits a fiddle, I was never entitled to them in the past. Well, when I was married we recieved so much it was unbelivable, but since the split I have been entitled to very little.

What is DHP, and how would I be entitled to HB if I Pay csa?

pandaspot

A dhp is a discretionary housing payment. The assessor will look at your income and expenditure. They then decide whether you should be entitled to a little bit more help with your hb and ctb. Worth applying in April as the council will have money in the pot then

I know what you mean about the under 35 rule, it's disgusting, the under 25 was bad. I was discussing it with my team leader last month and we both agreed it would be good if we could have more discretion with the rules

HappyMJ

marrow85 wrote: »

Hmm hadn't heard about the csa change very glad! Always irritated me that I struggled to see my daughter and do things with limited funds when I was paying so much that she never got.

Will have to give the tax credits a fiddle, I was never entitled to them in the past. Well, when I was married we recieved so much it was unbelivable, but since the split I have been entitled to very little.

What is DHP, and how would I be entitled to HB if I Pay csa?

Don't say you are fiddling tax credits just put in an application and see what you can get.

It's a discretionary housing payment. As you pay CSA you would be worse off working than you would be by claiming benefit. You can ask that the expense of CSA is taken into account so that it is worth working rather than claiming benefits. It saves them money even though they are still paying you a benefit it's a lower amount and if it's the choice for you to not to work and earn more or to work and get less then they can pay DHP's to help make up the difference so you can work for a living.

marrow85

Ok thanks, I had a quick look at entitled to, not tried different working hours yet to see what happens but worth a look.

The job center has been trying to perswade me to go onto esa but I don't really want the hastle. Entitled to seems to think I would get it (regular medical assesments, medication and occasional care required) I know it would probably have advantages but to be honest I'd feel bad claiming it, would feel as if I'm giving in to my illness, my mother was diagnosed and went onto dla and hasn't worked in years, although her condition is at a worse stage than mine now...

Anyway, I'd better get to bed, early start and interview, and I think the students I'm sharing with will be loud later on... Plus only have the worlds most rustley sleeping bag at present, so sleep is not something I've had much of this week!

marrow85

Thanks everyone, went into cab today and tried calling, they don't work thurdays lol. Anyway I got an 8 hour starting contract for a job round the corners so thats a start! Plus still might get an extra 14 from another job tomorrow. I also have a tricky question regarding childbenifit and maintainance for seperated fathers during holiday contact if anyone would like to help me on that! Its in the childbenifit section I think. P