60 year old widow needs some advice to survive

somethingcorporate

Where in the country are you?

oliveoil99

BigAunty wrote: »

Go to your local council website or the Direct Gov website to identify the 1 bedroom rate for Local Housing Allowance - this is the maximum payable to a single person in their own place and other income can be included which will reduce the LHA.

Come back to the forum and let us know how much this rate is and how much your rent is.

How far did that GP surgery relocate?!!

2 Bus rides away then merged with a health centre so my job as house-keeper will of disappeared.
LHA for 1 bedroom is £80.82 but they said because my income is over JSA of £71 would have to have the LHA reduced by a %.

oliveoil99

princessdon wrote: »

those on benefits don't get ALL their rent paid (they get an allowance, if your allowance, 1 bedroom tate covers rent then yes, but if not then they still have pay it).

Also people on benefits are from April expected to pay towards their CT (probably at the same rate you do).

Given what you have said - your only option is to move into somewhere less expensive as you clearly can't go on the way you are now.

I have done it for the passed 2yrs and my rent will always get paid not sure about anything else mind.

oliveoil99

somethingcorporate wrote: »

Where in the country are you?[/Q
I live in Bradford.

tanith

I don't have anything useful to add apart from I have great sympathy for your situation as I also looked for work at age 58/9 and found it very demoralising and impossible.. what a sad state of affairs, could your daughter not help you in some small way?

starrystarry

Tanith beat me to it, is your daughter in a position to help you for a couple of years until you get your pension?

earthbound_misfit

As princessdon says, it's not personal - people are just advising you on the government rules - and the government would say move to a smaller/cheaper property and get a job. Yes, there are not enough jobs to go round, yes, housing is very expensive - this is one of the reasons people protest and stuff.

Re: landlords not accepting housing benefit - you only have to tell them you're getting it if they ask specifically.
When I was looking for somewhere to live, I showed up to view flats smartly dressed and was very polite etc, often if they did ask about my income at this stage they were more willing to accept housing benefit having met me and not come across as irresponsible. Your age may be helpful here.
Apparently there is a clause in many buy-to-let mortgages about not letting to benefit claimants, so only landlords who own the property outright can let to you. Do you know anyone living in rented property in the area/anyone who could point you in the direction of a landlord? Are there any properties advertised on noticeboards, or online on gumtree rather than going through agencies (who often have a blanket refusal on HB)?
Another option is taking in a lodger (can anyone clarify if this would affect other benefits?)
Oh, also your water rates seem pretty high - is there any option of getting a water meter fitted so you only pay for what you use? (need landlord permission).
Good luck

oliveoil99

starrystarry wrote: »

Tanith beat me to it, is your daughter in a position to help you for a couple of years until you get your pension?

She already does this is her lap-top and buys food for me but as a 60yr old woman would like to stand on my own 2 feet she works and is saving to get married. I just wanted to know if there was anything I was missing that might be entitled to obviously if not will just get on with it.

angelsmomma

Could you perhaps do a few hours private cleaning. I earn £10 an hour working just 2 hours for an elderly gentleman who is too ill to do it himself now. I just put a notice in the local tesco and co op. I could work every day if I wanted as I got lots of phone calls. I emphasised that I am a mature woman and that seemed to help.

I do feel for you as I am a widow myself but am fortunate to be able to turn down work as I have a house I rent out.

margaretclare

This was me between 1992 and 1997. I was widowed and made redundant in my late 50s, with a mortgage to pay. I scraped by, just, by means of registering for agency shifts or going away as resident carer for old people in their own homes. I retrained into office work, did that until 2002 when I was 67 but got together with my second husband in late 1997. We were both skint, but we shared what we had.

I have the greatest sympathy.