Under 35 Housing Benefit (Housing Assoc.)

PurpleGoldFish

Hi

My friend (it really is my friend, not me this time) is thinking of moving house due to noise from neighbours. Can't call council 'til Tuesday so hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.

Do the under 35 shared accom/bedsit rule apply to housing associations?

He is currently with a housing association and it's they'll be the landlord at the new place too.

Any help or pointers much appreciated?

sniggings

Yes, so if he is single he would be best to get a single room place, if under 35 it would mean money for a shared place but if he could find somewhere for the allowance he is given it doesn't have to be shared, he can always add extra to pay the difference too.

nannytone_2

shared accomodation only applies to private lets and not social housing.

he would need a 1 bed place if getting housing benefit as they are redicong housing benefit for under occupiers from april

sniggings

nannytone wrote: »

shared accomodation only applies to private lets and not social housing.

he would need a 1 bed place if getting housing benefit as they are redicong housing benefit for under occupiers from april

isn't the allowance the same for both? I can't see how they would pay more to someone renting social housing than what they would pay to someone in private housing.

PurpleGoldFish

nannytone wrote: »

shared accomodation only applies to private lets and not social housing.

he would need a 1 bed place if getting housing benefit as they are redicong housing benefit for under occupiers from april

This is the same information I found on-line, that it only applies to Private Lets.

sniggings wrote: »

isn't the allowance the same for both? I can't see how they would pay more to someone renting social housing than what they would pay to someone in private housing.

This is the information my friend believes, he thinks it's the same for both now. I can't find anything to back this up though. I can only find information relating to Private Lets, nothing for social landlords.

PurpleGoldFish

This is the info on the councils website -

1 January 2012
Local Housing Allowance restrictions for under 25's extended to under 35's(Private tenancies)

Previously, LHA for single childless people under 25 was restricted to the rent level of a bedsit (or shared accommodation) rate. If their home has more rooms than this, they may have to find any extra rent. This restriction is extended to include those under 35. New claims from 1 Jan 2012 will have the shared rate applied straight away. This change has been brought forward from April 2012. There are 344 people in Newcastle at risk of losing £34 a week Housing Benefit due to this change.
For those already claiming LHA on 1 Jan 2012 the restriction will be applied after that date.
For example,
- For those who claimed before April 2011 - the restriction will apply 9 months after the anniversary of their claim
- For those who claimed after 1 April 2011 but before 1 Jan 2012- the restriction will apply from the anniversary date of their claim.
This transitional protection may end earlier or the rate may change if there are certain changes in circumstances.

sniggings

nannytone wrote: »

shared accomodation only applies to private lets and not social housing.

he would need a 1 bed place if getting housing benefit as they are redicong housing benefit for under occupiers from april

so this is wrong then!

underling

sniggings wrote: »

so this is wrong then!

No it’s not wrong.

Only private tenancies are affected, that is only those renting in the private sector. Housing association and council tenants are not subject to LHA rules.

sniggings

underling wrote: »

No it’s not wrong.

Only private tenancies are affected, that is only those renting in the private sector. Housing association and council tenants are not subject to LHA rules.

so your saying a 23 year old living in a LHA would get the one bed rate and not the shared rate? surely private or LHA an under 35 person would only get the shared rate.

PurpleGoldFish

sniggings wrote: »

so your saying a 23 year old living in a LHA would get the one bed rate and not the shared rate? surely private or LHA an under 35 person would only get the shared rate.

I think you're getting confused, more so than I was to start with.

LHA is a benefit rate given for PRIVATE lets.
HB is a benefit for social (inc. Housing Assoc.)

I just wanted to know whether the shared rate applied to Housing Benefit as well as LHA. From the information I've found on-line this doesn't seem to be the case, but if anyone knows otherwise I'd still like to been given a pointer to the relivant information.

pmlindyloo

sniggings wrote: »

so your saying a 23 year old living in a LHA would get the one bed rate and not the shared rate? surely private or LHA an under 35 person would only get the shared rate.

There have never been any criteria regarding age and number of bedrooms as regards social housing.

They use the term 'eligible rent'. Probably, historically, this has been because social housing rent is considerably less than in the private sector so people could be given larger homes than they 'needed' because their household might increase in the future.

Now, because of the dire shortage of social housing, they are trying to address the issue and will penalise financially those who have extra bedrooms if they decide to stay there. It is hoped, of course, that those living in larger accommodation, e.g. where the children have left home, will downsize to a smaller property.

Anyway, story over

The OP's friend will be sensible to rent a one bed place because the 'bedroom tax' as they call it will begin in April 2013 (not enough time to produce a few children - sorry, couldn't resist it :rotfl:)