Where do I stand in terms of what I can claim?

Sixer

skintandscared wrote: »

It may be that the guidelines purposefully don't give an exact figure in case that figure then becomes the "target" to stick to, to maximise benefits. Like the 16 hours thing for tax credits.

No. LHA is based on an applicable amount and earnings and other factors, which is complex. So there wouldn't be an easily attainable "target" for so-called scroungers.

Basically, if you are a single person without dependants, like the OP, and you are unemployed, you will get your full rent paid UP TO the LHA amount. It doesn't matter what size of property you actually rent; you'll just get your rent UP TO the LHA rate.

If you are working, then things are more complicated. There's a formula based on your applicable amount (working out which is a formula in itself) and your income. Income will depend not only on your earnings but also on your tax credits and your tax credits in turn depend on your earned income and the number of hours you work.

OP - try out different scenarios on Entitled To. It will work out both tax credits and LHA entitlement depending on whatever job and rent details you input.

dseventy

You should also let you LL know.

(You will need a copy of your tenancy agreement to claim LHA and they usually write to the LL).

D70

p00hsticks

Sand87 wrote: »

It sounds as if you will be entitled to redundancy pay which will help a little bit in the short term - depending on your birthday and when in 2005 you started, you've got either six of seven full years service, with some of those years being when you were under 22 - so probably about a months salary.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/Redundancy/DG_174330

If your employer is actually going into administration and so cannot meet the redundancy payments, you can claim from the government instead.