Affording to rent your own place.

rafhelp

I want to rent an accomadation and start home based work. If not then to just live there.

I have accomadation so this is something I am looking into if feasible.

The reason being I wanted 'my own place' and conflicts with certain people I live with.

I have seen places to rent for around £90 a week (just rent)

These are like one on two bedroom ones.

I am not working at the moment and on JSA.

If I stuck with just this benefit I would really struggle to afford living costs if I rented a place.

The options I have are housing benefit and council tax benefit. This means that the majority of the housing costs like rent and tax are covered by the benefits and the JSA would go towards utility, living costs and savings. This is fine, but I was told it can take upto 6 weeks for a Housing banefit claim to be processed. Also you would have to actually move into the rented accomadation and start paying rent, bonds and taxs first. The benefit would then be backdated.

But this would be a difficult decision. It would be difficult to pay the deposit, rent etc... from savings and JSA for the 6 to 7 weeks while the claim was being processed. Also it is assuming that the claim would be succesful and would pay the full rent and tax amounts. In the case that it wasnt then you be stuck (as per contractual agreements) in a property not being able to afford to pay the rent or literally scraping by.

Questions:
If you go from living with parents to living on your own does your JSA go up, if so by how much on average.

Is it possible to put in a claim for housing benefit prior to actually moving into a property? For example negotiating with the landlord to put down a deposit but not actually moving in until the claim was successful.

I am looking for advice from people who have been through this recently as I sure its not too uncommon

Idiophreak

Why not try starting to work first? That will make finding a place a whole lot easier...

Yorkie1

I do not know the answers to your specific questions, but are you under 25? Under 35? The rates for 'housing benefit' are changing I think, so you will need to take account of this when planning your future income / spending.

If you let us know your age, someone who knows more than me will be able to help I'm sure.

Edit: Just seen one of your previous threads. Is it still your intention to try to do this course?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3342330

As you are 30, I think you will be affected by the changes to LHA from next January. Look at this page:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018928

and the link on it to the changes details:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_192415

princeofpounds

You should be looking at LHA and not HB, most likely. They are different systems.

BitterAndTwisted

rafhelp wrote: »

Questions:
If you go from living with parents to living on your own does your JSA go up, if so by how much on average.

No, it doesn't. Your entitlement is based on your age.

Is it possible to put in a claim for housing benefit prior to actually moving into a property? For example negotiating with the landlord to put down a deposit but not actually moving in until the claim was successful.

No, you can't. Your entitlement to LHA and CT benefit is based on your actual current circumstances, not some hypothetic future circumstances.

I am looking for advice from people who have been through this recently as I sure its not too uncommon

If you're planning to do home-based work you should start doing this now or find employment. Landlords who are willing to accept tenants on benefits are few and far between and often have properties that few would want to live in.

You need a job, employment history and decent savings to move.

PasturesNew

If you're living with your parents, I'd hazard a guess that you're of an age where LHA would only pay you the "shared room rate" and that your JSA wouldn't be enough to cover the difference between that and a self-contained studio flatlet, never mind all the household bills and your food.

Yorkie1

PasturesNew wrote: »

If you're living with your parents, I'd hazard a guess that you're of an age where LHA would only pay you the "shared room rate" and that your JSA wouldn't be enough to cover the difference between that and a self-contained studio flatlet, never mind all the household bills and your food.

From a previous thread, OP is 30 so will come under the shared room rate from January, unless the rate is delayed for existing claimants?

rafhelp

Changes from 1 April 2011

From 1 April 2011 the rates for Local Housing Allowance will be reduced across the country:
Weekly excess

The maximum £15 weekly excess that some customers can get will be removed.
Limits on payments

A limit will be introduced so that Local Housing Allowance does not exceed:

• £250 a week for a one bedroom property (including shared accommodation)
• £290 a week for a two bedroom property
• £340 a week for a three bedroom property
• £400 a week for a four bedroom property

The maximum rate of Housing Benefit will be limited to the rate for a four bedroom property.


Id only need like max £100 a week.

Scully38

rafhelp wrote: »

I want to rent an accomadation and start home based work. If not then to just live there.

I have accomadation so this is something I am looking into if feasible.

The reason being I wanted 'my own place' and conflicts with certain people I live with.

I have seen places to rent for around £90 a week (just rent)

These are like one on two bedroom ones.

I am not working at the moment and on JSA.

If I stuck with just this benefit I would really struggle to afford living costs if I rented a place.

The options I have are housing benefit and council tax benefit. This means that the majority of the housing costs like rent and tax are covered by the benefits and the JSA would go towards utility, living costs and savings. This is fine, but I was told it can take upto 6 weeks for a Housing banefit claim to be processed. Also you would have to actually move into the rented accomadation and start paying rent, bonds and taxs first. The benefit would then be backdated.

But this would be a difficult decision. It would be difficult to pay the deposit, rent etc... from savings and JSA for the 6 to 7 weeks while the claim was being processed. Also it is assuming that the claim would be succesful and would pay the full rent and tax amounts. In the case that it wasnt then you be stuck (as per contractual agreements) in a property not being able to afford to pay the rent or literally scraping by.

Questions:
If you go from living with parents to living on your own does your JSA go up, if so by how much on average.

Is it possible to put in a claim for housing benefit prior to actually moving into a property? For example negotiating with the landlord to put down a deposit but not actually moving in until the claim was successful.

I am looking for advice from people who have been through this recently as I sure its not too uncommon

I'm on JSA own my own home ad am living on moldy bread to survive. As long as your life isn't being threatened I would suggest you stay where you are, housing benefit doesn't pay for your food.

As for housing benefit, I get zero, but looked into it, and you have to have at least two months rent up front and security deposit. LL may ask for 6 months rent in advance if you're on benefits.
Do you know what the costs of living on your own equate to? I would sit down and jot down eveything regarding running a house and then see how much you have left to eat.

My costs are;

Gas £80
Elec £30
Water £15
Phone/Internet to get a job £28
TV License £12
Mobile contract £35
Payment to get to JSA £25

Total = 225
JSA = £260

Left to spend per month £35

So if you have to go for job interviews, pay for food you'll have £8 per week for food.

So if you an afford all of that, go for it. Yeah benefits are great:cool: Plus if you're under 25 you'll get less. Doesn't that make you feel special?

Yorkie1

The relevant bit about the changes is here:

The shared accommodation rate currently applies to single people under the age of 25 living in accommodation that they rent from a private landlord. This will be extended to people aged under 35.
This means that single people under 35 will no longer receive Housing Benefit based on one bedroom self-contained accommodation.

If you follow the links in my previous post, you will find a calculator for LHA. You input the council area where you plan to live and it will tell you the current rate for a single bedroom in a shared house. You will not be eligible for payment on a property on your own.

martindow

Scully38 wrote: »

Mobile contract £35


Left to spend per month £35

If you reduced your contract cost you would have almost twice as much to spend on food.