Housing Benefit & Council Tax Benefit as a couple 1 student.

Oliverclews

Hello everyone, I've looked around and cant seem to find much information about this.

Im 22 and I currently live in a shared house with a friend I get ESA and HB shared room rate.

At the beginning of August me and my girlfriend are moving into a 2 bedroom house. My girlfriend is a full time nursing student and I am just wondering what will happen with regards to my housing benefit.

Will we still get the 1 room couple rate or will we get less with my girlfriend been a student or will this not make a difference.

Also what will happen with the council tax benefit? Will we get a full discount or what?

Many thanks for reading!
Ollie

BigAunty

A historic post from January indicated that you were a Uni student - is this not the case anymore or are you a part time student?

Do you get contributions based or income based ESA?

Oliverclews

Hello no I am no longer a student and I get income bases ESA.

Caz3121

you will apply and, as a couple you will get the one bedroom rate but some of her student finance will be counted as income in the calculation, together with any income she has from employment
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_070816

note: the maintenance loan is counted even if it is not taken so as well to take it!

enabledebra

Re council tax if it's just you and your girlfriend living in the house there will be a 25% single occupier discount applied to the bill if she provides evidence of full time student status. You might get council tax benefit towards the remaining 75% if your household income is low enough.

With housing benefit you will be given the same LHA bedroom rate as any other couple - student status doesn't matter. If as a couple you are renting a property which isn't a 'shared house' with others the 1 bedroom LHA rate applies. As a non student you can claim housing benefit for the property/household if your household income is low enough. Your girlfriends bursary (and student loan if she has one) counts towards household income (minus a few disregards) as does any contribution based ESA you are getting. If you are on income based ESA her student income will also be taken into account when working out how much ESA the household is entitled to.