Housing Benefit under occupancy Help

LunaLady

And what will happen to the banks when mortgage applications fall?

Morlock

LunaLady wrote: »

And what will happen to the banks when mortgage applications fall?

Who cares?

ijwia

i was given a 2 bedroom house probably in part because there are not very many 1 bedroom flats and lots of single people in the country as opposed to other generational times.

this was payed for by housing benefit as i was not in a position to help myself and work.

back to the present day and now imagine all the under occupied tennants going to the housing association looking for 1 bedroom apts

the housing cant house them all 1 bedroom apts because they don't have them so what happens then ???

nothing the housing can turn round and say we tried but don't have enough 1 bedroom apts

so does that mean i don't get my housing benefit cut no of course not

because this is an unfair tax as there aren't enough social housing 1 bedroom flats and the government knows this

social housing and private housing the reason there are both is because the government at one time believed there had to be low cost housing for the poor among us, the reason folk live in private accomadation rather than social at a lower cost is because there is no competition in the area and they have no choice

barnaby-bear

ijwia wrote: »

back to the present day and now imagine all the under occupied tennants going to the housing association looking for 1 bedroom apts

the housing cant house them all 1 bedroom apts because they don't have them so what happens then ???

So they rent a 1-bed privately claiming LHA and their 2-bed gets freed up for a family who needs it claiming LHA in a private rental; overall effect - taxpayer spends less in the private sector and more individuals housed in social housing. OK maybe different individuals and that seems to be what people don't like - but I'd rather see a 2-bed social used for a couple and child and the single person in a private rental - the single person will see it as unfair but just because they are already there doesn't make their claim on social housing need more valid... most tenants have to move frequently on ASTs so I don't think expecting tenants to move seems weird to those in the private sector it's just expectations are really high from social tenants compared to the rest of the population at the moment.

seven-day-weekend

ijwia wrote: »

where do i say that i don't know what benefit i am on ?

actually, i mention in my first post what benefits i get (income support and housing benefit)

again your trolling and being insulting

your 1st post was succinct! true and thanks

your 2nd post was an unpleasant cheeky remark that incorrectly stated i didn't know what benefits i get !

why remark that ? why are you being insulting to me ? you don't know me but you seem to think you do

So therefore the information about Local Housing Allowancce does not apply to you.

There are some very helpful people on this forum, there is no need to be so antagonistic.

seven-day-weekend

Morlock wrote: »

Not that anyone did address that, but is it such a stupid idea?

Considering the current UK housing crisis, the fact that owner-occupiers have benefited more from government spending than social housing tenants have over the last few decades, and the massive under-occupancy rates in the private sector, perhaps it is time to start recouping some of that expense.

Bedroom tax for owner-occupiers would encourage downsizing and the renting out of spare rooms, relieving pressure on the housing crisis and generating income for the treasury. It sounds like a very sensible option.

I am an owner -occupier and have two spare rooms (three if you count the dining room). I have a small Victorian terraced house and have had lodgers over the years. My husband and I paid for our house out of our salaries, no-one helped us and it is now paid for, so why should we be expected to downsize?

I expect we will get a ground floor flat eventually, but the time will be of our choosing (and even then we will get a two-bedroom).

However, if your rent is being paid out of the public purse, I don't see why it should pay for a spare room.

mazza111

I think where most of the problems are going to arise is, the lack of smaller properties for people to move into. I'm a council tenant, and I wouldn't want to give up that tenancy and move into private rent just so I can get all my rent paid for me on HB or LHA.

I was in the (un)fortunate position that I got an exchange from my 3 bed to a 2 bed when my dd left home so it won't affect me as yet, will when the lad leaves home though. Was the biggest mistake of my life. Especially now that the dd is disabled, she could have moved back home if I kept the old house with it's downstairs bathroom and bedroom. If only we knew what's round the corner...Not to mention the druggy neighbours, but that's for a different thread...

There are very few one bedroom properties available, and I personally feel that 2 bedroom properties shouldn't be included in this just for that reason. By all means, larger 3/4/5 bedroom places can probably get a smaller place, but there isn't much smaller than the 2 bedroom places here, most of them are one double and one single sized room.

barnaby-bear

mazza111 wrote: »

I think where most of the problems are going to arise is, the lack of smaller properties for people to move into. I'm a council tenant, and I wouldn't want to give up that tenancy and move into private rent just so I can get all my rent paid for me on HB or LHA.

I was in the (un)fortunate position that I got an exchange from my 3 bed to a 2 bed when my dd left home so it won't affect me as yet, will when the lad leaves home though. Was the biggest mistake of my life. Especially now that the dd is disabled, she could have moved back home if I kept the old house with it's downstairs bathroom and bedroom. If only we knew what's round the corner...Not to mention the druggy neighbours, but that's for a different thread...

There are very few one bedroom properties available, and I personally feel that 2 bedroom properties shouldn't be included in this just for that reason. By all means, larger 3/4/5 bedroom places can probably get a smaller place, but there isn't much smaller than the 2 bedroom places here, most of them are one double and one single sized room.

There are loads of 1-beds to rent privately (haven't you seen your average new development!) and loads of people in 2-bed private rentals wanting social housing; at least this way it incentivises people to shuffle around and cut the overall cost of private rental for the tax payer... it completely irrelevent to anyone who chooses to pay their rent themselves too - nobody paying their own rent will have to pay any tax or any extra....

ijwia

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

So therefore the information about Local Housing Allowancce does not apply to you.

There are some very helpful people on this forum, there is no need to be so antagonistic.

wind your neck in

if he/she needs help they'll ask for it

LHA is a part of Housing Benefit is it not ?

is it not possible for people to think rightly or wrongly that this may be a component of their housing benefit ?

and as i am in receipt of housing benefit and was voluntary given a flat with 2 bedrooms from the local authority that should mean that i have done nothing wrong

so why am i getting punished for something when i did nothing wrong ?

the information was told to me by an aquaintance and was under the heading Housing Benefit 1 giant page

When these changes will affect you

Whether or not you're affected depends on when you first made a claim and if your circumstances have changed.

Click the option below that relates to you to see what you can do.
Existing claims started:
PRE April 2008
Existing claims started:
POST April 2008
New Claimants:
All
Existing Claimants: Pre April 2008

If you haven't made any changes to your claim then you should be on a different system and not receiving the local housing allowance (LHA) benefit, so you should be unaffected by the changes. However if your circumstances change or you wish to move you will be processed under the new rules immediately, so bear this in mind before making any changes.

See below to find out how you can protect yourself from the changes.

not everyone is an expert on benefits just like not everyone with a mortgage knows the specifics of all types of mortgages (but they should ehhh ?)

seven-day-weekend

ijwia wrote: »

wind your neck in

if he/she needs help they'll ask for it

LHA is a part of Housing Benefit is it not ?

and as i am in receipt of housing benefit and was voluntary given a flat with 2 bedrooms from the local authority that should mean that i have done nothing wrong

so why am i getting punished for something when i did nothing wrong ?

the information was told to me by an aquaintance and was under the heading Housing Benefit 1 giant page



not everyone is an expert on benefits just like not everyone with a mortgage knows the specifics of all types of mortgages (but they should ehhh ?)

It's to do with getting your rent paid, but is not part of Housing Benefit, it is a different Benefit for people who live in privately rented accommodation.

You are not being punished for anything, you are being expected to pay for the extra room like someone in privately rented accommodation would do (or downsize, or take in a lodger, then you don't have an extra room).

Not everyone knows about Benefits, which is why they ask questions, but they normally ask them politely.