Housing Benefit under occupancy Help

Morlock

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/to-rent/details/26716119?search_identifier=0460f1a41c20427c76241aacffd4da04

All on one level and couldn't be any closer to the shops.... AND below the 1 bed LHA rate so no top up to pay at all.

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

There was even a 2 bed private rent at just £2 over LHA.

Two, 2 bedroom private properties in this thread alone, one attracting no bedroom tax for a spare room, the other only £2 above the LHA rate. So much for social-housing 'coming in line' with private rentals when the tax is introduced.

lighting_up_the_chalice

Morlock wrote: »

Two, 2 bedroom private properties in this thread alone, one attracting no bedroom tax for a spare room, the other only £2 above the LHA rate. So much for social-housing 'coming in line' with private rentals when the tax is introduced.

There have always been areas of the country where AFFORDABLE Social Housing rents have exceeded the lower end of the private rental market.

Morlock

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

There have always been areas of the country where AFFORDABLE Social Housing rents have exceeded the lower end of the private rental market.

Yes, I have argued this many times when proponents of the bedroom tax argue, "Well, private tenants have always been subject to bedroom tax."

Actually, no they have not, private tenants can have a spare room with full housing benefit covered, or pay very little top up for a spare room, compared to 14% of overall rent for social tenants. It is a common scenario, particularly outside of the south-east.

Lou76

If I lose my [Agency, within Scotiish Govt] job, I'll be affected by these changes (as a part own, part rent - the only way I could get anywhere near an HA property). But, I'm all for it. :T

It's about bloody time that Council/HA [on full HB/LHA] tennants were made to take some responsibility for themselves.

How do they think their working neighbours budget each month, or, as I suspect, they don't care.

Yes, before anyone jumps on me; I claimed benefits because I was too ill/disabled to work.. I still have those issues (Crohn's & Lupus), but since my diagnosis/treatment, I've been able to get back to work (well, not tonight despite taking 10 loperamide that didn't work, here I am having an unpaid "sickie".]

When I claimed you needed 39 (I think?) weeks of Income related benefits - I was screwed, I got IB on the basis of NI Contributions.

I had a mortgage (the insurance wouldn't pay out, but why should the tax payer?)

Basically I rattled up £thousands in credit cards, just to keep a roof over my head. I'm still paying some of them now - £100pm to RBS, but I can see a light at the end of the once long & dark tunnel.

Then I was awarded DLA. Not only did I get the cash that came with that, but suddenly I had all these premiums added on for good measure - in my case, it meant I got IS - £30odd extra, plus (after a wait) mortgage interest, free prescriptions, bus pass etc

As I said, I bought my flat shared ownership (thankfully I was in a position to work, and pay my way -I bought this flat 8 months ago, had to sell the old one as it was costing a fortune in maintenance, struggled to find somewhere I could buy seeing as I couldn't get a mortgage anymore.) So, if I need the taxpayers to pay my rent, I'll be thankful for whatever help I get. I struggle to believe anyone 'that' disabled won't have the cash to cover £14 a week.

p.s I'm paying just shy of £200 a month rent (75%) - that includes £40 maintenence fees, that only Owner Occupiers need concern themselves with.

So, let's say £250 full rate. That's still a far cry from the £450 (average rate), that my old flat - the one I sold- is going for, for a 1 bed, on the private let.

Morlock

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

There is more 1 bed social housing stock than any other property type/size...

That's an interesting statement, do you have a link to any official figures?

Morlock

Lou76 wrote: »

I bought my flat shared ownership (thankfully I was in a position to work, and pay my way.)

And thankfully taxpayers provided public funding towards building your property, therefore enabling you to part-own it. A nice little subsidy for you, possibly a lot more than a full housing benefit claimant receives over many years.

Heycock

Morlock wrote: »

Yes, I have argued this many times when proponents of the bedroom tax argue, "Well, private tenants have always been subject to bedroom tax."

Actually, no they have not, private tenants can have a spare room with full housing benefit covered, or pay very little top up for a spare room, compared to 14% of overall rent for social tenants. It is a common scenario, particularly outside of the south-east.

Bit of a generalisation there, Morlock.
My LHA is £375 month for the one room rate. We need 2 rooms for medical reasons...a fact recognised by our LA and consequently we can bid on 2 bed properties. The 2 bed LHA rate is £450 monthly...that's hardly very little at a difference of £75. The sting is that, predictably, the entry rates for 1 bed and 2 bed properties in the private sector are now magically £375 and £450 respectively. So if we were to downsize from our current 3 bed to the needed 2 bed and stay in the private sector our shortfall would be £75 a month(at the entry rate). In the social sector locally the very best housing (and most of it is exceptionally good) without any service charges is around £380 a month maximum...even up to 4 beds!!
At a "tax" of 14% that's a shortfall of only £53 compared to the private LHA shortfall of £75 (for an inferior property).

This isn't a moan for me personally i hasten to add. My actual shortfall is actually £220 a month! But I can , under the PRESENT system, fund that partly with the savings I've got (though not indefinitely). So my wish to downsize is, at the moment from a financial angle, a preference rather than a NEED.

Our real need is for the security of tenure offered under Social housing even with the proposed tenure changes.
The one thing someone with Dementia and their carer needs is certainty in their life but a need for security holds no influence on allocation priorities.

But I recognise how fortunate I am...my concerns are for those who are trapped. Social AND private.

And a message to those of you who are single or married/no kids/ ablebodied and living in expensive areas with no prospect of employment...relocate. Come to Merseyside. Plenty of 1 bed flats in the private sector on HB LHA rates (see comments above). Access to the Social sector housing list under property plus...you'll be bottom priority but there are many properties available on the list immediately available, 1st come 1st served.
There may be no jobs but your benefits will stretch alot further.

Tamzynne

Desperate people are being faced with losing their homes, it is sad regardless of who is affected.

We are bringing up our grandchildren after the little boy had his arm broken and was beaten black and blue by his sperm donor. Little boy is autistic. Guess what? Guy who did it got away with it on a technicality..........that poor child has had no justice, he still has nightmares.

I am fortunate enough to live in an extremely adapted house with a through floor lift (I use a power chair, have MS) and there are no other options for us. My husband lost his job through a spinal injury, I lost mine through kidney failure and progressively deteriorating multiple sclerosis. We have been unable to find another one.

No other houses in our area are adapted enough and vacant, we have looked at privately renting as well as social housing. Our daughter and her partner(both work and live in privately rented housing) provide us with physical support so we are reluctant to move too far away (and we have looked up to 50 miles away!).

I can understand both sides, it is a tough change, many of the affected people will be disabled people or people who have lost their job recently. An older couple live next door in 3 bedrooms but only use 1, I am grateful they are not affected - they find it much more difficult to adapt now.

We have no choice, there is no place for us to go - as for the extra funding I use mine to pay for a manual chair that is light enough to move and get in and out of a car. I also maintain and save for a suitable power chair, the one wheelchair services supplied kept falling off the path over the kerb even on a slight slope. I also fund a lot of my catheter supplies myself.

Yes it is right that both social housing and private rented housing benefits should be in line with each other. People are just thrown into panic and become desperate, desperate people faced with losing their homes are not going to be reasonable. Some of them are terrified.

Speak to your neighbourhood manager, ask your council about DHP (discretionary housing payment) which the government has set aside to help those most in need. Failing that the only choice you have is to pay or get into debt.

Speak to Citizens Advice if you are desperate.

No idea what else to suggest but I hope you all find your own way through whatever it is you are going through.

geoffky

princessdon wrote: »

Not at all and seeing as you are new to the forum I'll explain why. I don't like inequality. In recent years those in the private sector have been subject to this in the fact that they can only claim the bedrooms they need via LHR. Social Housing benefit claimants are currently and have been exempt, creating inequality. The two groups should be treat the same IMO, this has been a long time coming that the two groups are treat the same.

How would you feel if LHR kept this and HB lost it (the situation was reversed)? It would be unfair and unequal.

Now if you had asked my personal opinions on this I'd have said the following.

I have huge sympathy for those with disabilities and carers. Not all will hit the "need for a spare room" but they may do so. Eg someone with severe MH issues and their partner is a carer may clearly need an additional room to get some sleep and their own form of respite. They should not be penalised and I think it needs looked at for that group, of that I am very vocal.

Those that are on minimum benefits (JSA at £71 or £56) will have to pay a vast percentage of their benefits and this will ensure they cannnot look for a job as can't afford to, again I think this is unfair.

Pensioners (who due to PC) have the largest amount of disposable income are not affected, I think this is unfair.

I personally think a percentage of your means tested benefits (eg 10%) of all in hand means tested benefits (so DLA is excluded) would have been a fairer way to do this. So a family with CTC and CB would pay more than a singleton. Much fairer way IMO.

BUT... What ever they do for HB needs to be reapplied to LHR claimants to ensure equality. Private sector clients are being treat differently and this is unfair, do the same for both. For me it's that simple.

I cannot see why when they changed LHR they didn't amend HB - It's unfair to treat people differently.

That doesn't mean I think the idea is "great" or doesn't need more thought (as above) but I welcome the two groups being treat more fairly as someone who is impartial.

Is it right that a singleton with 1 or no child at home still has a 4 bed home when families are on waiting lists paying 30% of their benefits to private landlords? Not in my opinion. The solution is more social housing and dealing with the extortionate Private Rents.

So no, I am not trolling but do believe that both groups should be treat the same or as equal as can be to prevent discrimination.

Is it right that a singleton with 1 or no child at home still has a 4 bed home when families are on waiting lists paying 30% of their benefits to private landlords?

Do you know how many people in the uk are in this position?

oldtractor

and a good thing too. Why should the tax payer be keeping people in homes which are too big for them when many working people with mortgages are living in cramped conditions?