Housing benefit help

jimlufc

Looking for some help. I have recently split with my partner and will shortly be moving out of home. We have 3 children so I have been looking for a place with 2 bedrooms so when they visit twice a week they have somewhere to sleep. I work 24 hours and earn around £146 a week so should be entitled to housing benefit. Is it correct that despite me having 3 children (granted they won't be living with me but will be staying often) I can only claim housing benefit on a bedsit or shared accomodation? I have done an online calculator with my local council and its telling me that I will recieve about £3 a week in housing benefit. Is there any way round this with my circumstances?

Thanks

Dunroamin

If you're under 35 that is the case and there's no way round it unless you top up the rent out of your other income.

Can't you look for a full time job or an additional part time one?

real1314

No, there's no way round it at all.

I've always thought that the HB regs are unfair to Non Resident Parents, even before the "Shared Room Rate" was increased to include those up to 35.

I've always wondered if a challenge under the HRA based on the right to a family life might prove successful. It's an odd thing to expect one parent to ensure they maintain a full relationship with their kids when they cannot live with them, but we don't allow them any consideration for this within existing benefit rules.
(not that it makes any difference to my circumstances) :cool:

jimlufc

Been looking for a full time job for the past 5 years, or a part time job to suppliment my earnings. Looks like i'll be homeless very soon.

jimlufc

real1314 wrote: »

No, there's no way round it at all.

I've always thought that the HB regs are unfair to Non Resident Parents, even before the "Shared Room Rate" was increased to include those up to 35.

I've always wondered if a challenge under the HRA based on the right to a family life might prove successful. It's an odd thing to expect one parent to ensure they maintain a full relationship with their kids when they cannot live with them, but we don't allow them any consideration for this within existing benefit rules.
(not that it makes any difference to my circumstances) :cool:

I think it's an utter discrace. As a father I want to spend time with my children, but something like this stops me doing that.

pmlindyloo

If you are over 25 and could get 30 hours a week working you could get working tax credit if your salary was less than £13000 pa so might be worth getting a part time job at minimum wage.

Really difficult for dads in your situation. Any way you could have the children somewhere else - parents house perhaps?

jimlufc

pmlindyloo wrote: »

If you are over 25 and could get 30 hours a week working you could get working tax credit if your salary was less than £13000 pa so might be worth getting a part time job at minimum wage.

Really difficult for dads in your situation. Any way you could have the children somewhere else - parents house perhaps?

Sadly not. My parents live 200 miles away. Don't know how i'll cope with all this. This country has loads of dads who don't give a toss about their kids and it's the ones who do that get punished.

pmlindyloo

Sorry, crossed posts.

Trying to think outside the box here. Read of a mum who left her house for the weekend so that her ex could spend time with the children. Any chance of something like this? Otherwise it will have to be day outings and similar.

I also think this is an area that seriously needs to be looked at.

Letter to your MP might be a good start.

jimlufc

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Sorry, crossed posts.

Trying to think outside the box here. Read of a mum who left her house for the weekend so that her ex could spend time with the children. Any chance of something like this? Otherwise it will have to be day outings and similar.

I also think this is an area that seriously needs to be looked at.

Letter to your MP might be a good start.

Day outings and being homeless it is then!

I could understand them doing this for people who have no children and live alone....but not people who want to spend time with their children and have them to stay with them.

Dunroamin

jimlufc wrote: »

Been looking for a full time job for the past 5 years, or a part time job to suppliment my earnings. Looks like i'll be homeless very soon.

There's no reason for you to be homeless just because you can't afford a 2 bedroom flat. You earn enough to rent a room in a shared house and you'll just need to see your children in the day time until you can pick up another 6 hours' work.

This could be just the incentive you need to find some kind of sideline of work to increase your hours.

jimlufc

What if I was to have custody of one of the children? Would we have to go through court to make that happen or as parents could we decide between ourselves?