Housing Benefit Query

T2012

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on Housing Benefit and entitlements. My partner and I both work with him working full time and myself working part time. We have a 4 year old child also and pay full rent and Council Tax. We have no savings or capital. I get £5 per week Tax Credits and £20.30 Child Benefit along with the following:

My Earnings - £5990 per year
Partners - £16800 per year

I have used the Entitled Calculator online which says we are entitled to Housing Benefit however I did not think that couples who work are able to claim? Could anyone be of any assistance in relation to this?!

Many Thanks!

poppasmurf_bewdley

If you are earning below the threshold, then of course you can claim.

Contact your council and fill in the required forms.

BigAunty

Housing benefit is a means tested benefit which is based on household income for couples - the hours worked are irrelevant, it's about the level of income.

Many couples on low income with children only work 24 hours per week between them as this is the threshold for working tax credits, a decent amount of child tax credits, full or virtually full council tax discount and housing benefit.

For some households, working more than this isn't currently 'worth it' because of the steep withdrawal of benefits, entry into taxation, cost of getting to work, cost of child care plus the intangible benefits such as having more free time, time to spend with children, less time at a boring job, etc. Some couples who work full time or full time with one parent, part time with the other, find they are no better off working longer hours.

You can use the Turn2us online benefit calculator to model different scenarios.