Discretionary HB Top Up

Mara69

outofmoney wrote: »

OK Thanks. Not sure how we could improve our financial situation, lol, that will only happen if HB goes back up or if we get paid more IS.

Do either of you work?

BigAunty

outofmoney wrote: »

...

Not sure which post you read but I have no debt. My OH owes a fair bit due to bad money management but with my help we got it all sorted and he is paying them all back at lower amounts.

It's this one from a month back where you said you pay £200pcm to service a 6k debt. If you've got the payments down to token sums, then that's good, otherwise the Debt Free wanabee people can show you how to do this or perhaps advise if it can be written off.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=49643803&postcount=1

BigAunty

outofmoney wrote: »

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With the changes in HB we now have to use some of our Income Support to pay the rent.
Income Support is not not exactly much and as the G'ment put it 'The minimum you need to live on'. So now we have below the amount needed.
.

What is the minimum needed to live on, according to the information you've found?

Sadly, many tenants receiving LHA have to top up their rent from their existing benefits. There is a link on this website about how to manage the changes in HB, including strategies for coping with it.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/housing-benefit

What is the difference between your LHA and your rent? In other words, what is the top-up you have to pay each week from your household income?

What is your income from benefits and how many are there in your household?

I recommend that you download the MSE budget planner, work through the site and see if you can shave off household expenses, such as changing tariffs with suppliers, cheap recipes, etc.

gingergee

Morning! Have you got a support worker??? I have one (cos of my illnes(s)). She has a fair bit of leverage with council, HA etc on my behalf. Maybe if you had one they could pull some strings or, at least, source you the right help and/or info. I'd be lost without mine, she is a great help. Ring your local childrens centre and see if you could speak to someone?? Hope things work out, i know what its like to feel helpless RE housing, but i got where i am in the end xxx

Oldernotwiser

outofmoney wrote: »

Again with private renting all the 4 bed properties at or below LHA are flats. Did a search up to 10 miles and only 2 flats showed. At 15 miles a few houses showed but these were per room aimed at students..

Don't rule out flats completely. Something on the ground or first floor could be perfectly suitable for you.

drwho2011

Could you post your total weekly income? With a breakdown of the income and your current rental costs?

It would help put things into perspective.

JodyBPM

I can't see how a family of 5/6(?) with 2 disabled children will *just* be living on the income support amount?

Surely you will be entitled to LHA (covering most of your housing costs), DLA x 2 children, C/B x 3/4 children,CT Benefit, CTC x 3/4 children (plus the disability elementx2), carers allowance possibly also assuming your income is not already over the threshold, as well as any income support? I would say that if you are genuinely living on *just* the income support amount then it would be worth doing a benefits check as I'm sure you would be entitled to far more.

In any case, the LHA is set at the 30% mark of the cost of properties in the area. Therefore 30% of all properties in the area will fall under the full LHA amount, and if you are prepared to live in a 3 bed rather than the 4 bed that you are entitled to as you are currently doing, then probably significantly more. You may not be able to live in your area of choice (ie near your existing schools), but most people's choice of accomodation is restricted by affordability whether you are dependent on LHA or not.

If you post your LHA area, then I'm sure people would help you out by doing a rightmove search to find something in your price range.

EDITED TO SAY: I just did a benefits checker based on 2 adults caring for 4 children of which 2 are disabled, living in Thanet where the LHA is £599 per month, and the total income including LHA , CA, CTC, CB, CTB etc amounts to £605 per week, equivalent to a working family earning £43K pa. Now obviously I based this on some assumptions (eg number of children (4? of which 2 disabled at at least middle rate care), LHA area, CT amount etc), and this figure is EXCLUSIVE of DLA and carers allowance which you should get on top. So, this is the kind of figure you should be getting in benefits alone - if you are actually getting the income support amount alone to live on (couples rate £105 per week) then you DESPERATELY need to do a benefits check, as you are missing out on a LOT of money.

If you are receiving benefits at around £600+ per week, you really should be able to afford to pay a top up to live in your chosen area.

Felicity

Could the above figures really be true?. There is so much discussion in the media about this at the moment and some on here would have us believe the £26k is just hype but if the above is true, it would appear not to be.

Terrysdelight

outofmoney wrote: »

We live in one of the cheaper areas on an estate. There are a few ex council for rent but even they are more expensive. (Which really winds me up when they got the house dirt cheap!!!)

I have just had a look and it is only flats that are cheaper. We have two disabled children so flats are not an option.

Will keep looking and will apply anyway. They can only say No.

Hi
Sorry if this response has already been posted - haven't read all the way through the postings.

If you have disabled children - are you receiving DLA?

If so, I think the housing benefit would argue you to fund the extra rent out of this money.

A colleague of mine has a three bedroom house and two boys. One badly autistic and he really needs his own bedroom - more for the other lads sake because he keeps him awake often.

Discretionary payments wouldn't cover for the extra rent to cover the increased cost of housing - ie £50 per month - HB said this cost should be funded out of the DLA money.