Housing Benefit under occupancy Help

samwich1979

ijwia wrote: »

why is it included under HOUSING BENEFIT SECTION THEN ?



again why is it included under HOUSING BENEFIT SECTION THEN ?



so its normal and fair for the state to change the rules for folk when their circumstances haven't changed ?



and you think that making people on limited incomes (benefits) pay extra for rooms is fair ?

my benefit award letter comes with a statement that says this is the amount that the law says you need to live on

so how can it be fair if i am expected to pay extra from that amount to pay for the shortfall in housing benefit ?



i am going to see the housing association later about downsizing, i aint taking a lodger as i dont keep well and stay in a deprived area



i did ask nicely i only got an attitude after recieving responces with an attitude, got it ? thanks

It is in the housing benefit section because it is relevant to people who rent privately and their housing benefit is decided on whatever their LHA rate is.

I have been trying to get a 2 bedroom property from the council for months but it isnt going to happen because im not "priority" so i am renting privately and get housing benefit on a 2 bed LHA which is what my family REQUIRES.
Now is it fair that just because you live in social housing and claim benefits that you should be able to keep a 2 bedroom property which you DONT REQUIRE when families like mine could have it?
Thats a big fat NO.

If you want to stay in your 2 bedroom property damn right you should pay the extra because id have to as a privately renting person.
Benefits dont make you any more worthy to things than the working of this country.

Ive had the letter about what the law says my family should be living on but unfortunately what they say and what is reality are 2 different things, you cannot always use this to get out of paying for things you SHOULD be.

Im sure if you cut back on a few things, you could find the money towards the extra rent and just think how much you'd save on heating in a 1 bedroom property compared to 2!!

It is you who spoke with an attitude when people tried to explain that you had misunderstood the differences between social and private renting ( which you did).

I think you need to speak to your housing association and get a bit more up to speed with how housing benefit works and then you may understand peoples opinions on here a little more.

ijwia

its an attack on benefit claimants

and that fact that very few of you can admit this tells me you approve of the victimisation

how can someone off of £64 a week be expected to pay the 14% or more reduction in HB if they are already on the lowest amount the government expects the to be able to live off of ???

the answers of find a 1 bedroom flat is a red herring by their very nature it is just about as expensive to build a 1 bedroom house as it is to build a 2 3 or 4 bedroom house

so ultimately what this is about is sticking benefit claimants into 1 room flats

princessdon

Op the problem is you are directly affected so your views ARE going to differ from others, it doesn't mean our views are not valid or that your's should be dismissed either.

There are not many who are heartless enough to say "sling em from their home as they don't work". But ... There isn't money in the pot. This is one way to recoup some of that. There isn't enough social housing - I don't think anyone really disputes that.

So they now have to decide whether to "encourage" those with extra rooms to downsize or move to LHR. Then people on the waiting lists who are in LHR at the higher rate can move into the Social Housing saving the difference in money.

No one really has security. Those with mortgages have to move/downsize if they lose thier jobs and if mortgage rates rise along with unemployment this will a problem for families, especially those in negative equity.

Private Rentals have been subject to changes in recent years (bedroom rates and reduction due to 30%). The only group that haven't really been affected are Social Housing claimants. It is time that they adjusted this in line with others.

You are fortunate to be allocated a HA home (many are not) and many none SH renters have felt for some time their is inequality. They have short term tenancies, face price rises, face uncertaintly and probably other things. In short I think many Private Renters envy your situation and would swap readily.

The govt has given you an amount to live off and that hasn't changed, the fact you chose to spend this on your rent is irrelevant. It's like when my OH was made redundant in 2010. They gave us £71 pw to feed a family as I worked part time. It's irrelevant that my part time wages didn't cover the mortgage (let alone bills).

People in Private Rental are already paying some of their benefits in rental and have been for some time so this is not news to many.

I'm sure it's hard for you but objectively as someone unaffected the move (for most) is right for most, in particular the 50 year old in a 4 bed house who can work and choses not to.

ijwia

i'm not moving and im not paying extra if i can help it

i never asked for a 2 bedroom house this is what i was given as my home was demolished

unjust and unfair

mazza111

I really do think it's hard on those in 2 bedroom properties when there are very few 1 bedroom properties they could move into though... I can't speak for other areas, I only know in this area, there are very few 1bed properties.

princessdon

mazza111 wrote: »

I really do think it's hard on those in 2 bedroom properties when there are very few 1 bedroom properties they could move into though... I can't speak for other areas, I only know in this area, there are very few 1bed properties.

I just did a rightmove search on Glasgow and there were an awful lot of 1 beds under LHR, so this will be dependant on area.

princessdon

ijwia wrote: »

i'm not moving and im not paying extra if i can help it

i never asked for a 2 bedroom house this is what i was given as my home was demolished

unjust and unfair

Just to give you an idea of other issues. Council Tax reductions - This is now dependant on LA from 2013. Glasgow do not appear to be charging for this. Other LA are so someone in your position who lived elsewhere would not only have to find the bedroom tax but also pay their CT.

samwich1979

ijwia wrote: »

its an attack on benefit claimants

and that fact that very few of you can admit this tells me you approve of the victimisation

how can someone off of £64 a week be expected to pay the 14% or more reduction in HB if they are already on the lowest amount the government expects the to be able to live off of ???

the answers of find a 1 bedroom flat is a red herring by their very nature it is just about as expensive to build a 1 bedroom house as it is to build a 2 3 or 4 bedroom house

so ultimately what this is about is sticking benefit claimants into 1 room flats

I get £126 per month towards my £515 per month rent, i also have to pay ALL the bills, buy food, expensive things like nappies for my 19 month old son, get to work every day etc etc. I am the only earner in our house as my husband looks after our son while i work.

I could say im being victimised because we havent got enough money to live on but i dont, i just get on with it because i have to like every other damn person in the country does.

Im sure their are 1 bed properties where you live, just maybe not quite what you want to live in but its kind of tough really.

You need enough space for 1 person, as long as you have a roof over your head............................

mazza111

I'll try and put it better...

1 bedroom flats here.. Just had a check. There are 7 available to rent in the immediate area. Ranging from £350/month to £400/month. Now where the logic doesn't come in, is that benefits would be happy to pay this for a single person on HB (LHA) but wouldn't be happy to pay less to have the same person living in a 2 bedroom property. While I know this isn't the only reason for doing it, to save money, it seems that they won't save much money in those circumstances. You could say it will free up social housing, but that would just be one more property laying empty in the private sector.

There are actually a few 2 bedroom properties laying empty in my street at the moment. And our council has a pretty good turn around time in all honesty, but most people are looking for bigger than 2 bedroom properties, hence why I don't think they should be included. They aint gonna be able to house all the people that are in 2 bedroom properties, into one bedroom properties if you see what I mean.

I can see where the OP feels like they are being punished, when that was the house they were awarded for their needs. Especially when you see that a 1 bed private let would cost more than their 2 bed council let.

samwich1979

ijwia wrote: »

i'm not moving and im not paying extra if i can help it

i never asked for a 2 bedroom house this is what i was given as my home was demolished

unjust and unfair

Ok so i will just refuse to pay the other £389 of rent i have to contribute out of my monthly wage and see where that gets me...............:rotfl:

There is NOTHING unfair about it, how hard is it to move house?

You do what you have to so you can survive on the money you've got.