LHA - HB - CAB - Entitlement

rafhelp

CAB said im entitled to £53/week

The LHA amount on https://www.hbupdate.com says I can get £70 for a one bedroom flat.

Im looking for a one bedroom flat as I need the space and other personal reasons.

Now it seems if youre under 35 years of age you can only get the shared room rate. Shared room seriously? You mean like you got a find a room and share it with a complete stranger. Sharing a house with a stranger could be awkward enough, forget sharing a room.

So if i rented a one bedroom flat, I would struggle to find anything less than £70 in my area so i would have to pay almost £20 on top. Your other benefits like income support, credits or JSA wouldnt go up, so actually it would leave you financially struggling. Also this value is not gauranteed so you could end up paying more than £20 on top. Great.

Can anyone please confirm this. I filled out the calculator on that site above, age and everything and it told me i would be eligible for £70/week HB but apparently im not because im under 35...so the calculator was wrong, are they trying to trick us?

BigAunty

No, a person who receives LHA can live in any size and any cost of property that they like but they are expected to pay the top-up above their LHA entitlement if the rent is higher from their existing income.

A single person under the age of 35 can only get the shared property rate unless they are severely disabled or need the services of an overnight non-resident carer.

It's not about sharing a room but having a room in a shared property.

EDIT - I tried the bedroom calculator and as soon as I selected that I am under 35, it said

"Local Housing Allowance rules mean most single people aged under 35 only qualify for the shared accommodation rate regardless of the type of accommodation they live in. This rule starts for new claims from January 2012. Existing claimants should get more information on the January 2012 Housing Benefit changes. Unless you are protected from these rules please select yes to the question "Are you a joint tenant?""

Double Edit - I now see what you mean about how it calculates that you are entitled to a 1 bedroom property despite selecting an age under 35 - looks like there is a bug in the calculator. You can only have a shared property rate - that calculator is wrong/ambigous.

Dunroamin

This is what makes me cross when people use the expression "shared room rate" on here as some people do get hold of the wrong end of the stick. The rate is for sharing accommodation, not a room.

bloolagoon

Where do you live now, what do you currently pay, can you stay where you are and save.

rafhelp

I need to move out it seems. stuck in a vicous circle.