bedroom tax?

mike+caz

Hi
I have been reading about the bedroom tax thats coming in and I can't seem to find what im looking for [I may have missed it].

History- We live in a 3 bedroomed HA house, 2 plus 2 adult sons, one whom is autistic and has sever learning disablities. last year my hubby became disabled [after 30yrs of working] we claim HB CTC and ESA I get Carers Allowance. After social services gave a statement they suggested we move to a bungalow, however they had none available so we had the bathroom adapted to a walk in shower [bath removed] and hand rails everywhere [stairlift in future]. When the bathroom was done we were told that we couldn't move for at least 5 yrs.

My youngest son was at Uni but now he's graduated and got a job so has moved away so we now have a spare bedroom, albeit very small.

I am confused. Where do we stand on extra bedroom? I have 2 disabled people in house and a newly adapted bathroom.

sammyjammy

The rules are quite tight so I think you will still have to pay 14% more. See link below for more information and how it will work. Regardless of whether you have been told you have to stay their for five years or not you would still have the same options as others in moving to private accommodation (in the eyes of the governement).

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4297807

Heycock

You'll just have to take the hit i'm afraid. The rules explicitly rule out any spare bedroom allowance for disability care needs unless you've got a non -family carer staying over a couple of nights a week. Someone caring for their partner doesn't count as a separate human being in this brave new world. (This is nothing political...it was thus under new labour and will be again after 2015).
Your best bet is to stay put. You'll certainly never get anything approaching comparison in the private sector for what you'll be paying to stay in the social sector and you'd lose all your security.

daimonde

Local Authorities will be working alongside HAs to identify people likely to be affected & id have thought the HA would get in touch with you, theyre at the risk of having less money coming in so its in their interests to move people around their properties if possible.

My LA are just starting to do this due to software only now coming online to identify people. I believe a lot of others are well down the line with this.

Id suggest contacting your Landlord for advice to start with.

There is going to be additional funding made for Discretionary Housing Payments due to these changes & one of the groups to be targetted for additional help are "Disabled people living in accommodation that has been substantially adapted for their needs".

which is an extract from ... http://dwp.gov.uk/docs/a4-2012.pdf the LA guidance circular on under ocupancy.

harveybobbles

My MIL is in a 3 bedroom HA house and lives with her non dependant carer. So she will only be liable for the 14%. Which at first she was annoyed at.

But then I pointed it out that the 14% works out at a lot less than actually moving house and having to buy carpets and furniture etc..

mike+caz

Thanks all for your replies.

Thanks diamonde I will check your link out.

Guess we will just have to take the hit, as you point out its a lot cheaper in social housing than private and moving.

Thanks to all again

mandiskem

i had a 3 bedroom house had a wet room stairlift and ramp fitted to the house in 2009 i would of had to pay for 2 rooms not in use i was in an area that not had 1 bed bungalows wasnt gonna be entitled to a 3 bed and they havent got a 2 bedroom bungalows so i had to move into a total different area now im in a 1 bedroom bungalow which is better for me the housing assoc did tell me that i couldn`t move out for 3 years or i would end up paying 7 grand . if you have to pay for an extra bedroom and you dont want to they cant force you to stay there .

Mojisola

mike+caz wrote: »

History- We live in a 3 bedroomed HA house, 2 plus 2 adult sons, one whom is autistic and has sever learning disablities. last year my hubby became disabled [after 30yrs of working] we claim HB CTC and ESA. I get Carers Allowance. After social services gave a statement they suggested we move to a bungalow, however they had none available so we had the bathroom adapted to a walk in shower [bath removed] and hand rails everywhere [stairlift in future]. When the bathroom was done we were told that we couldn't move for at least 5 yrs.

Do you get CA for your husband or your son? If either of them needs help at night, someone could claim CA and stay over a couple of nights a week in the spare room. That would also help you. It can't be easy, caring 24/7 for two people.

Heycock

Mojisola...to get the carer's extra bedroom allowance, the carer has to be a non-family member. And who is going to want to do two nights care in a strangers house for £58 a week? Good luck if they can find someone prepared to do it.

Mojisola

There are two disabled people in the house. If they are both entitled to have carers, why shouldn't they both have one? The carer exemption would only come into play if one of them needed night time care so it depends on their needs.

If someone is getting CA, they have to be providing at least 35 hours of care a week which is why they are allowed to come off JSA and claim IC.

If the OP continues to care alone for two disabled people, it will have an impact on her own health. Caring 24/7 at home is an incredibly difficult and wearing job.

Mara69

mandiskem wrote: »

if you have to pay for an extra bedroom and you dont want to they cant force you to stay there .

No, they can't. They could, however, recover some or all the costs of the adaptations from the OP.