housing benefit

Muscle750

Just hope your son doesnt flee the nest either otherwise you will be in the dire

bright_side

Unfortunately this absolutely correct. From April next year everything is changing and your housing benefit will be reduced because the council will consider your daughters room as 'spare', therefore you will be under occupying your property. There is lots of info online about it, will have a look and post back.

blackwatch6102

My problem is she is at home now and is always here when not at uni. can I claim for room when she is here.

bright_side

Actually, scrap that, as you are a pensioner, this shouldn't affect you atall. Speak to you local council asap.

blackwatch6102

Hi they no that already as they have all my details,how will being a pensioner help.

bright_side

I'm sorry, I was under the impression that this only effects people of working age. Maybe the rules are different for pensioners who still have children at home, or perhaps because you are privately renting. Certainly at the moment it will not be effecting pensioners who live in social housing.

Have you had an official letter from the council?

I am expecting mine any day.

System

Wouldn't it be 2 room rate because the son is adult and working so should be paying his wack and the 2nd room is for the daughter?

embob74

My nephew is classed as living at his parent's house even though he is at uni most of the year. Because of that they get no help with his tuition and living costs. As he's a doing a long course they will effectively be paying for him when he's 23!!
Not sure how on the one hand they can say a student is classed as living at home and on the other they aren't there!

pandaspot

embob74 wrote: »

My nephew is classed as living at his parent's house even though he is at uni most of the year. Because of that they get no help with his tuition and living costs. As he's a doing a long course they will effectively be paying for him when he's 23!!
Not sure how on the one hand they can say a student is classed as living at home and on the other they aren't there!

There are different rules for ctax and hb. I have had quite big disagreements in work regarding this. I had a case where someone was a lodger, not related in anyway to their landlord, they had gone to uni, locally. The council tax dept wouldn't award an spd for the landlord as they were saying the lodger would be classed as still living there when term finishes. My argument to them was well he is of no relation why would he return to the house. He would live somewhere else. They wouldn't have it! So we (for hb/Ctb) removed the lodger but ctax wouldn't. Stupid rule

PhGage

National Housing Federation: FAQs Welfare Reform

What about students studying away from home?

Households where there is a room kept for a student studying away from home will not be deemed to be under-occupying if the student is away for less than 52 weeks (under housing benefit) or 6 months (under Universal Credit).

Under housing benefit rules students are exempt from non-dependant deductions, however full-time students will not be exempt from the Housing Cost Contribution (HCC) which replaces non-dependent deductions under Universal Credit. All young people under 21 are exempt from the HCC, but students over 21 will face a contribution in the region of £15 per week.

The table in that FAQ may also be helpful.