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housing benefit
Comments
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I think that this thread highlights how unclear the guidance for benefits tenants is though.
The OP didn't *understand* about the LHA being paid weekly/fortnightly how it doesn't fit with monthly rent periods - so just *spent* it leaving her short. Surely *someone* should be advising so arrears don't increase.
OP didn't *understand* that it's not about the size of her house what rate LHA she gets but about the number of people. In theory she could live in a 10 bed mansion as long as the rent was £144 a week. Or a two bed flat despite having two children. Again *someone* should be explaining this.
This is meant not as an insult to the OP but the system which is unclear.OPs so far £42,139
Original end date Nov 2037 (53) Current end date June 2024 (40) Aiming for 5 years to be Mf
DD1 Oct 2008:), DD2 Jul 2010:), DD3 Aug 2013:)
When life is getting me down I try to remember to thank God for the blessings0 -
Your right Sara..plus im hardly likely to ask hb why sometimes
they give me more.. luckily i had some ways to juggle money around and i think tbh in the months that i get more that im entitled to i put that into another account for when its short again..
wish they would just pay it direct to LL like it used to be as its well confusing now.0 -
bargainbunny wrote: »The bedroom is small it does have a window but you couldnt get a single bed in it an be able to walk around so imo thats small
Just to make it clear the size of the bedroom isn't relevant. It wouldn't even be relevant if you only had one bedroom in the property for all of you. The fact is because of the status, ages and gender the LHA is based on the need for a 4 bedroom property.I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!0 -
Just to make it clear the size of the bedroom isn't relevant.
You make good points.
However, I can't think why a room off another bedroom (therefore not exclusive access to it) that is too small to accommodate a bed (the important 'bed' part of 'bedroom') has been designated as a bedroom. It's clearly not fit for purpose if it's too small for someone to sleep in. Sounds like a dressing room or study.
Where did the third child (the 4th occupant) sleep before they left? How did the state previously end up paying the 4 bedroom rate for a property that only had 3 usable rooms?!0 -
Council don't care how many bedrooms a house has exactly. Any rooms can be used as sleeping rooms. The lounge for instance. It might be an expensive 3 bedroomed property due to it's size or location but if the OP is entitled to the 4 bedroomed rate then they will pay up to the LHA rate for 4 bedrooms even though it really only has 3 bedrooms.You make good points.
However, I can't think why a room off another bedroom (therefore not exclusive access to it) that is too small to accommodate a bed (the important 'bed' part of 'bedroom') has been designated as a bedroom. It's clearly not fit for purpose if it's too small for someone to sleep in. Sounds like a dressing room or study.
Where did the third child (the 4th occupant) sleep before they left? How did the state previously end up paying the 4 bedroom rate for a property that only had 3 usable rooms?!:footie:
Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. 0 -
I think that this thread highlights how unclear the guidance for benefits tenants is though.
The OP didn't *understand* about the LHA being paid weekly/fortnightly how it doesn't fit with monthly rent periods - so just *spent* it leaving her short. Surely *someone* should be advising so arrears don't increase.
OP didn't *understand* that it's not about the size of her house what rate LHA she gets but about the number of people. In theory she could live in a 10 bed mansion as long as the rent was £144 a week. Or a two bed flat despite having two children. Again *someone* should be explaining this.
This is meant not as an insult to the OP but the system which is unclear.
Again, not meant as insult to the OP but a general observation of benefit claimants understanding how their benefits are calculated and how to budget for their living costs...
but that's an awful lot of handholding by an unspecified third party to provide guidance ...0 -
You make good points.
However, I can't think why a room off another bedroom (therefore not exclusive access to it) that is too small to accommodate a bed (the important 'bed' part of 'bedroom') has been designated as a bedroom. It's clearly not fit for purpose if it's too small for someone to sleep in. Sounds like a dressing room or study.
Where did the third child (the 4th occupant) sleep before they left? How did the state previously end up paying the 4 bedroom rate for a property that only had 3 usable rooms?!
The LA pays benefit on the LHA rate appropriate for this family which is 4 bed and not on the actual rooms available.
Parent(s) 1 room
Son aged 14 1 room
Daughter 16 1 room
Daughter 20 1 room
The two daughers could well have quite lawfully shared one room even though LHA rates allow for a room each for the girls because of their ages.
I certainly don't mean in this case but there was a big worry when LHA was first mooted that it might lead to some families with several children of different ages/genders having them share overcrowded rooms so they would have some money left over after they'd paid the rent. Smaller/less bedroomed propertes would be cheaper to rent but the tenant would be entitled to LHA based on rooms actually needed.I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!0 -
The LA pays benefit on the LHA rate appropriate for this family which is 4 bed and not on the actual rooms available.
...
Yeah, I don't know why I'm so hung up about the tiny 4th bedroom as I know full well that it's really about the number of relevant occupants, their age/sex, that determines the LHA rate - OP can live in a 1 bed or 10 bed and rate remains the same, as stated previously.0 -
Would a 20-year-old be included in the equation anyway, as at that age they don't count as a dependent child?
I understand that the 20-year-old has now moved out, but even when (s)he was living there surely only three bedrooms would be paid for by LHA?
I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
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She doesn't have to be a child dependant, she was resident there and that's what's taken into consideration. I explained earlier about the amount of rooms. 1 for the parent(s), 1 for the son and one each for the 16 and 20 year old because of their ages.I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!0
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