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Just received 'Housing Benefit changes' letter, not sure of the implications.
Comments
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I agree with you: the wording of the letter contradicts what the DWP apparently intended to happen, based on the above factsheet and what has been published at the various council websites.
Has your circumstances changed over the past year that could have pushed the date of your review back by what seems to be another 3 months?
No, nothing has happened at all. My circumstances are identical. The letter also states that I would have been notified of changes in April 2011 and, unless I somehow completely disregarded a letter from the council concerning HB (which is highly unlikely) I never received any such notification.
I see what you're saying Robbie, and the factsheet you linked to is very clear and backs up what you've said, but I think there might be more to this because, as I say, I'm still receiving the standard HB rate.0 -
No, nothing has happened at all. My circumstances are identical. The letter also states that I would have been notified of changes in April 2011 and, unless I somehow completely disregarded a letter from the council concerning HB (which is highly unlikely) I never received any such notification.
I see what you're saying Robbie, and the factsheet you linked to is very clear and backs up what you've said, but I think there might be more to this because, as I say, I'm still receiving the standard HB rate.
Then it sounds like they have worked yours out incorrectly; which will give you more time to find a house share.RENTING? Have you checked to see that your landlord has permission from their mortgage lender to rent the property? If not, you could be thrown out with very little notice.
Read the sticky on the House Buying, Renting & Selling board.0 -
Have you tried? As already stated whilst renting a whole property is hard for HB claiming, renting a room is a lot easier. You seem to be closing doors you have not even tried to open.
No, I haven't tried, but I have been informed in another thread in the rental section that pretty much all lettings agents and most private landlords do do a credit check and that will make it extremely difficult for me to find rented accommodation.
And please don't make me out to be a scrounger. I take all the work I can get and I would love a full-time job. Not everyone on benefits is on benefits because they are lazy or stupid or workshy. Many people are victims of circumstances. When you've got many more people looking for work than there are jobs out there, it only stands to reason that plenty of good people will be left behind, and that's what our welfare state (or what's left of it) is there for.0 -
MissMoneypenny wrote: »Then it sounds like they have worked yours out incorrectly; which will give you more time to find a house share.
It does sound like that may be the case, but then again it seems like whitelabel's friend got the same letter and also hasn't had their benefits cut yet, so maybe this is a bigger issue? I don't know.0 -
No, I haven't tried, but I have been informed in another thread in the rental section that pretty much all lettings agents and most private landlords do do a credit check and that will make it extremely difficult for me to find rented accommodation.
How do you know you can't find a shared house if you haven't even tried? Or find a room as a lodger in someones house. It's easy for live-in landlords to get rid of a tenant that doesn't pay, so they may be more willing to take someone with a bad credit score.
Sharing a house is more fun anyway; a bit like student days. Plus the bills are shared, so it is a cheaper way to live.that's what our welfare state (or what's left of it) is there for.
That's what the welfare state is going back to. There won't be much left of the welfare state if we keep going as we are now!
Over the last decade, welfare has become a way of life for some and that's one of the reasons the welfare state is changing back to a support system as many claimants' became too comfortable living off others. Another reason for the change back is that the country just can't afford the massive growing welfare bill.RENTING? Have you checked to see that your landlord has permission from their mortgage lender to rent the property? If not, you could be thrown out with very little notice.
Read the sticky on the House Buying, Renting & Selling board.0 -
The only other situation I can think of is, prior to claiming LHA had you been a tenant of your property for at least 52 weeks and had been able to meet the rent payments without claiming LHA / HB in the previous 52 weeks? However, if that was the case you would have been able to receive full HB with no restrictions for up to 13 weeks.No, nothing has happened at all. My circumstances are identical. The letter also states that I would have been notified of changes in April 2011 and, unless I somehow completely disregarded a letter from the council concerning HB (which is highly unlikely) I never received any such notification.
I see what you're saying Robbie, and the factsheet you linked to is very clear and backs up what you've said, but I think there might be more to this because, as I say, I'm still receiving the standard HB rate.0 -
It does sound like that may be the case, but then again it seems like whitelabel's friend got the same letter and also hasn't had their benefits cut yet, so maybe this is a bigger issue? I don't know.
at the earliest. my friend wouldnt be due for a cut till aug ,which is when the letter says the 9 month protection will START ?!
this is also the first letter they have received about it, although Ive heard news papers on about it before but didnt know their full circumstances till they phoned me this morning in a panic, the fact the poster above didnt get some thing either appears something isnt quite right
If that agreed letter is to be followed, they have made one massive balls up, not that im surprised but can lead to SERIOUS problems for people who take things literally to the letter and could find themselves without enough to pay without proper warning
having gone through my friends bills I think shared living will actually be more expensive for them
most are either room + rates or all inclusive (so you have to deduct those from HB claim) but neither is enough to be covered wholy by HB
they live frugally and as on a limited income and as such their gas AND electricity rate is currently £16 a month and they are in credit £68 at present after winter as I had helped them switch to a tariff that pays £100 annual credit. their water bill is £48 a quarter on a meter
most shared places ive been looking at with them today, have higher shared bills,(things they dont use or pay for at present like landline, internet, cable, sky) water and electrity costs and are looking for "professionals" to share with
not some one who is a recluse with significant physical and mental medical problems - the prospect of living in a "fun studenty" environment as described above would near put them in panic attack mode...
would you want to live with them missmoneypenny... and find it "fun" ?
its been a struggle to keep them motivated to fight the medical issues they have im worried this could cause them to lose the will all together
ETA:
what are they also meant to do with their possessions that fit in a 1 smallish 1 bed flat that was unfurnished (so all sofas, wardrobe bed etc,) that they now cant take with them in to a small room given ive yet to find a shared unfurnished room and certainly none that need a sofa0 -
The only other situation I can think of is, prior to claiming LHA had you been a tenant of your property for at least 52 weeks and had been able to meet the rent payments without claiming LHA / HB in the previous 52 weeks? However, if that was the case you would have been able to receive full HB with no restrictions for up to 13 weeks.
I've had a quick look through my documents and I moved in in September 2009 and put in a claim for HB in May 2011. But I think it was backdated, so my claim might officially have been March 2011.0 -
Looking at this letter, I think there might have been a !!!!-up by my local council, and that's the reason for the confusion. The letter starts, "From 1 January 2012 the government is changing the rules for calculating Housing Benefit." Grammatically, that is how you would phrase it if the changes were yet to happen, i.e. if the letter was sent out prior to 1 Jan 2012. But it wasn't. It was sent out on the 31st of last month.0
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whitelabel wrote: »- the prospect of living in a "fun studenty" environment as described above would near put them in panic attack mode...
Those students go on to be those professionals you spoke about. More work than fun, but the sharing with others of the same age is the "fun" bit.whitelabel wrote: »would you want to live with them missmoneypenny... and find it "fun" ?
Don't let the "miss" bit fool you; I'm in the over 35 bracket.
I'm thinking of getting a lodger when I can be sure that neither of my two children (both under 35) don't need to return home to live. BTW, both of my two could afford to rent their own place as they work, but choose to share for the company.RENTING? Have you checked to see that your landlord has permission from their mortgage lender to rent the property? If not, you could be thrown out with very little notice.
Read the sticky on the House Buying, Renting & Selling board.0
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