Housing Benefit paid in arrears?

kizzie_nikita

But how many weeks in arrears?

We have recently moved homes (17th may). Am i correct in saying that housing benefit pay 4 weeks in arrears meaning we should be getting a months 'housing benefit' from them after we move?

Someone told me it was 2 weeks, someone told me it was 4 weeks..

I'm asking this, as my housemate has only been given £80 in arrears, which is 5 days rent, when we were sure it would be the whole £237.50.

Reason i'm asking is, we had to put a deposit down for this house of £465, which we had to borrow as we thought, and got told that the Housing would be giving us the months rent after we move out, as they pay in arrears, but this hasn't happend.

Like i said my Housemate has been given £80 and i've been given £0?

[Deleted User]

get mine every 4 weeks(not monthly)and i think in arrears,on what date did housemates claim start?

kizzie_nikita

my housemates claim started the same time mine did, we got housing every 4 weeks, a couple days before our rent was due on the 17th of each month.

This is why im confussed weather we are both due the months rent back in arrears, as ovbiously its left us both a month of rent down.

BigAunty

AFAIK, payment in arrears is about receiving the housing benefit after the tenancy has started, not in advance before taking up the tenancy. Landlords work the opposite way - they expect the tenant to pay the full month's rent upfront before the time has elapsed.

I don't think it means that after a maximum of x period has passed, x maximum period of housing benefit is received like you expect.

Many local councils have very long processing times to sort out HB claims. This is why many landlords don't like accepting HB claimants - they are at the mercy of the council who may not make the payments on a timely basis.

The other way that tenancies and HB don't align is in rental periods - I think HB is paid every 4 weeks whereas most contracts pay monthly. There is little synchronicity which is why so many HB claimants struggle.

If the local council has not paid you any HB two weeks after you've submitted your claim and you provided them with full info, you can ask for an interim payment (payment on account). Here's some info on this.

Payments on account of Housing Benefit

These only apply if you rent your property in the private sector. The local council should make a payment on account if they have been unable to make a full decision within 14 days and you have provided all the information reasonably needed. They will base the payment on account on the information that they have, and on what they think is reasonable under the circumstances. [HB Reg 91]
If you pay rent to a private landlord, you should ask the council to make a payment on account if you have given them all the information they asked for (or you have good cause for being unable to provide this information) and they have not been able to tell you what you are entitled to within 14 days.
Any payment on account will be offset against your benefit entitlement when the council has been able to work it out.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/rr2-a-guide-to-housing-benefit/how-your-benefit-is-paid/

kizzie_nikita

i understand this.

All im asking if im correct im saying that i should have recieved housing benefit from them 2/4 weeks after leaving.

As they only start paying a month after youve moved in to your home (in so called arrears) i should get a months rent back after i have left the house..

The problem is ive not got anything, and my house mate who started the same tenancy at the same time has recieved 80 pound, 5 days rent back after leaving said house.

This is what we are confussed about.

sulkisu

kizzie_nikita wrote: »

i understand this.

All im asking if im correct im saying that i should have recieved housing benefit from them 2/4 weeks after leaving.

As they only start paying a month after youve moved in to your home (in so called arrears) i should get a months rent back after i have left the house..

The problem is ive not got anything, and my house mate who started the same tenancy at the same time has recieved 80 pound, 5 days rent back after leaving said house.

This is what we are confussed about.

Some LA's pay 4 weekly in arrears but others do pay fortnightly. Unfortunately you will need to speak to your LA as they are the only people who will be able to tell you what the payments that you/your flatmates have received, are for.

fluffymovie

It's normally fortnightly to claimants abd 4 weekly to landlords.

It isn't as simple ad a month in arrears tho. For example, my La paid on 11.06 and if you claimed for hb from say 2.06, you'd have received 10 days.

kizzie_nikita

I guess i will just ring them on Monday and ask, as i'm so confussed!

All i know is, i got paid the full amount on the 9th May, 2012. Rent goes out on 17th.

Left to move on the 17th.

House mate who pays half of the rent, got £80 on 1st June 2012. I got nothing.