How will this affect my benefits?

renegade

Under 21 yrs old granddaughter and baby lodging with the childs father in his parents home, the relationship has broken down and they have told her to find somewhere else to live.

I am 72yrs old, have spare room so could give them temporary shelter as I live on my own.

How will this arrangement affect my Housing & Council tax benefits, I also get pension credit.

I am not putting finances above their welfare but I am anxious to know where I stand before committing myself.
Thank you for reading.

benefitbaby

Hi, there would be no impact to your pension credit however your housing benefit and council tax benefit may be reduced (by a non-dependent deduction) and this will depend on the income your grand-daughter. Do you have an idea what her income is?

helpfulperson

If you receive the disability premium because you are disabled and live alone, you will lose that, if she comes to live with you.

Of course, your granddaughter may be able to claim benefits that she cannot claim while she is living with her child's father (income support and child tax credit, perhaps) plus asking for child maintenance from the father.

renegade

benefitbaby wrote: »

Hi, there would be no impact to your pension credit however your housing benefit and council tax benefit may be reduced (by a non-dependent deduction) and this will depend on the income your grand-daughter. Do you have an idea what her income is?

She is getting Child benefit. The father does not pay her any money but puts money in a separate bank account the child has, he has no access to this it is in my gdaughters name.
I know she would be entitled to HB as she has her name down on the council housing list awaiting accommodation for herself and the child.

renegade

benefitbaby wrote: »

Hi, there would be no impact to your pension credit however your housing benefit and council tax benefit may be reduced (by a non-dependent deduction) and this will depend on the income your grand-daughter. Do you have an idea what her income is?

What is a non dependent deduction, she is relying on me to give her and the child shelter, she will be homeless so she id dependent on me?

Caz3121

financially she will have income support, child benefit and child tax credits. If she gets her own place, this income will need to cover her gas, electric, water, food etc. This same income would be expected to be used to help pay her way if she was staying with you so she would be able to make up for any benefits you may lose

She should contact the CSA re maintenance. Money in a bank account for the child is nice but it is not maintenance which is used to feed and clothe a child.

renegade

Caz3121 wrote: »

financially she will have income support, child benefit and child tax credits. If she gets her own place, this income will need to cover her gas, electric, water, food etc. This same income would be expected to be used to help pay her way if she was staying with you so she would be able to make up for any benefits you may lose

She should contact the CSA re maintenance. Money in a bank account for the child is nice but it is not maintenance which is used to feed and clothe a child.

Will she still be eligible for all those benefits if she lives with me on a temporary basis?

missbunbury

renegade wrote: »

She is getting Child benefit. The father does not pay her any money but puts money in a separate bank account the child has, he has no access to this it is in my gdaughters name.

So he is paying towards the child, in that she is able to access this money now and use it to buy things for the little one. It's a nice idea to save it up for the future but she may not have this luxury if she is going to be a single parent. She may wish to consider formalising maintenance through the CSA, depending on the dad's circumstances.

renegade wrote: »

I know she would be entitled to HB as she has her name down on the council housing list awaiting accommodation for herself and the child.

She won't be able to get housing benefit while living with you though, they don't pay it in these circumstances so she'll have to pay you keep out of her other income or benefits.

Marmiter

There should be a 26 week delay in the non-dependant deduction (NDD).
If she is on income support, there isn't a non-dependant deduction anyway as she's under 25.
If she is living off her CTC and CHB only, then it will attract the lowest NDD, which here is £11.45 on the rent and £3.30 on the council tax, which she will be expected to give you.

Are you in a council property or a private rental?
If it's a private rental, then your LHA room rate will increase.

BigAunty

renegade wrote: »

..
I know she would be entitled to HB as she has her name down on the council housing list awaiting accommodation for herself and the child.

Is there a realistic chance of her securing a property on the waiting list?

The only way she would be considered a priority (because she has a child) is if she now presents herself as homeless to the local council because she's been asked to leave her present accommodation (i.e. apply now because she has been served notice). Homelessness is defined as having no security of tenure past the next 28 days - she doesn't have to be on the streets to submit a homelessness application to her local council.

Once she moves in with you, she may be considered a much lower priority as she may be seen to be adequately housed. To understand the homelessness process and the councils obligation to her, her housing rights, do read the Shelter website information about homelessness. I know you are doing right by her to take her in but if she is hankering after social housing, the only way she will make it to the top of the waiting list is to stay where she is and apply as homeless to the council.

Yes, she could be entitled to Income support and child tax credits when living with you. These are means tested benefits that would have been affected by the income of her partner when she lived with them but won't when she doesn't as she'll be classed as a lone parent when she moves in with you.

Generally, tenants who live in the same property as their landlord to whom they are closely related do not qualify for HB (or Local Housing Allowance for the private sector) as this is seen as a private matter, not for the public purse, and should be sorted out by the tenant paying towards their keep from their existing benefits. However, as a grand-parent, you aren't classed as a close relative (I don't think many posters here know this).

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/housing_benefit_if_renting_from_a_family_member#0

But I don't know whether she has any right to HB in your place anyway since she isn't on the tenancy so I'm not sure she has any liability to pay rent and therefore get HB. Perhaps you are only referring to her next accommodation anyway.

BigAunty

renegade wrote: »

She is getting Child benefit. The father does not pay her any money but puts money in a separate bank account the child has, he has no access to this it is in my gdaughters name.
...

There is a child support forum on this website. Post there for advice.

To me, this arrangement smacks of control freakery - if he wants to build up a nest egg for his daughter he can do it of his own volition. What good is this money in an account if she can't buy a pair or shoes or medicine for the child?

Perhaps he's one of these father's who resents paying towards his childs food and clothing because he feels the mother will spend the money on himself? (my brother was like that, demanding to buy just clothes rather than pay cash towards general living expenses that a mother and child incurr).

It is his obligation to provide for his child's daily needs and the child maintenance she receives will not affect her benefits at all. She can either reach a private agreement with him or if he won't cooperate, she take him to the CSA who will expect him to pay 15% of his gross salary.

Her child should not go short just because of a preference for the estranged father to build up an untouched nest egg.