Housing benefit if new tenant?

SF-02

I've only recently moved into a new flat, around a month ago. Now it looks as though I be out of a job soon. I'm looking at other jobs but what happens I lose the job as l expect and have no income? Someone at work told me I may be eligible for help with rent and housing benefit, but wouldnt it look strange if I applied so soon after moving in? Is there a minimum time before eligibility? I'm worried about being stuck with arrears for the next 5 months possibly id no similar job is forthcoming. I am admin at the mo and though it isn't great wages, it's more than minimum wage so if if I find a low wage job is there a top up?

Many thanks

nannytone_2

a lot depends on your age and the property you live in. is it council/housing association or privately let?
how many bedrooms does it have?
do you live alone or with a partner/family?

there is no limit to how long you have been there before you can claim, but personal circumstances will affect how much benefit you would be awarded.

BigAunty

There's no minimum time to be eligible for housing benefit (local housing allowance for private rentals). It will be based on your income and if a private rental, on the local rate and the bedroom entitlement.

For example, with LHA, a single person without disabilities and dependents under 25 is entitled to a rate equivalent to a room in a shared property. This will increase soon to 35. Savings/capital over 6k reduces it and over 16k will wipe it out.

If you are a private tenant, find out your LHA eligibility on the Direct Gov website and come back to the forum and say if it covers your rent or not.

You can identify any other benefits on the Turn2us online benefit calculator. You need to tell the forum members your age so they can tell if you would qualify for tax credits with a lower paying job.

SF-02

It's a private letting through an agent. It's just the one bed for me. I don't have much savings though could get through a month, though the tenancy is minimum 6 months. I've been looking at other work but I don't see much that can match my current wages which could pay the full rent and transport etc, and my existing wages aren't even that good to begin with. If I get a lower pay job it won't be enough over time I think to cover payments over coming months, and that's a big if within the next few weeks.

Thanks for the response it's v helpful

nannytone_2

housing benefit isnt an 'all or nothing' benefit.
if you work and your income is low, there is every chance that you would still have some entitleement to housing benefit/LHA

Caz3121

SF-02 wrote: »

It's a private letting through an agent. It's just the one bed for me./QUOTE]

If you are under 25 you will be entitled to the rate for a room in shared accommodation rather than a one-bedroom property. You can check the LHA shared rate for your area and that is the maximum they would pay if you had no income eg on JSA. If your rent is higher that this you would need to top it up from your JSA.

this is worst case and hopefully you will get sorted with something else soon. good luck