Housing Benefit Entitlement

WytRir

This whole LHA thing is confusing me now.

Okay, so I'm claiming housing benefit for a 2 bedroom privately rented house.

My share of the rent is £262.50 and I'm 25 years old.

I share with 1 other adult and we are not a couple.

She recently claimed and got £60.58/wk.

I however only get £54/wk.

I am currently not receiving JSA (I am unemployed) but get housing benefit via low income.

Now, I feel I should be getting the same and from reading LHA rules and trying to do the calculators I'm pretty sure I should be.

Bit worried if I bring it up they'll just think my flatmate's claim is wrong and drop her down.

So what's right? Should I be on £54/wk or £60.58/wk?

HappyMJ

But you earn money. Housing benefit is deducted at a rate of 65% of anything earnt in excess of your personal allowance. Do you earn around £77.50 a week?

WytRir

I don't earn money as I said I'm unemployed.

I'm not receiving JSA yet as it's with the decision makers...

HappyMJ

WytRir wrote: »

I don't earn money as I said I'm unemployed.

So claim JSA and earn £67.50 every week for looking for work. What do you use to pay the bills each week? Savings? Are they higher than £6,000?

WytRir

Yea, sorry, I edited my post I can see how it was confusing.

I'm trying to claim JSA; it's with the decision makers. I'm aware of the complications I have there. That's not my issue I really need to phone them about that...

Anyway, I have no savings. Currently I'm in my student overdraft, but I'm no longer a student. It's the fourth and final year of the Halifax student overdraft. It's £2000 and I'm currently £1000 in the minus figures.

The council has seen my bank statements to that effect.

Oldernotwiser

What's the LHA shared accommodation rate for your area? (Not that this would explain the different amounts but it might have some bearing.)

WytRir

The shared rate is £54.

pmlindyloo

How old is your house mate? Is it possible that she is claiming the 1 bedroomed rate?

WytRir

She's also 25.

They have worked it out at the one bedroom rate for her.

pmlindyloo

This is from Manchester City Council.


Local Housing Allowance

Local Housing Allowance for joint tenants


For joint tenants LHA is worked out as follows:

• If each joint tenant has sole use of one room (shared accommodation), each gets the shared accommodation rate.
  For example, two friends jointly renting a two-bedroom house, using a bedroom each, and each claiming Housing Benefit , would each get the shared accommodation rate.
• If each joint tenant has sole use of more than one room, they each get the one-bedroom rate (unless the 'under-25 rules' apply to them or, from January 2012 onwards, unless they are 25 to 34. See more about the January 2012 changes.)
• If a joint tenant has children or non-dependants living with them, the rate for the number of bedrooms they need applies. Check how many bedrooms you need under the LHA rules at the Directgov website

I would think that this applies to all councils. Have you checked your local council website?

WytRir

Ah ha, finally found some useful pages. I have looked and always had issues finding the information on the Stockton website.

So yes, my benefit appears correct.

It is a silly system now mind.