Housing Benefit

Margaret_Skinner

Not sure if this is the right place but just wondering if anyone can give me advice.

My 24 year old daughter got herself pregnant last year giving birth to a beautiful baby girl in October. She was living on her own at the time and wasn't in a relationship with the baby's father although he's stepped up to the mark now, coming round to see the wee one regularly and paying my daughter £500 a month towards her support.

She works at a local nursery and is quite happy to go back to work when her maternity leave is up - the baby will get a place at the nursery so that side of things is sorted. When she was pregnant she decided she wouldn't manage on her own and moved back in with me which was decidedly cramped in a small 2 bedroom house with 3 cats and a large dog! We're coping but only just and things are somewhat strained.

She's been looking round at rented properties and seen one she likes but because she can't claim Housing Benefit until she's actually in somewhere she would need her rent paid up front for the first while. I'm happy to do that as long as I know I'll get it back because I can't afford it otherwise but is there any way to confirm she'll definitely get it?

She's spoken to a local CAB advisor who told her what she'll likely get based on her income and other details and it's perfectly sufficient to manage on but can we take that as a good likelihood she'd be entitled to this money or does it ever fall through? Our relationship is strained enough as it is without any more hiccups.

Would the Housing Benefit department be a better contact to confirm or do we just have to claim and hope for the best?

[Deleted User]

she/you could have a play around with this to see what she might get

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/

sharp910sh

Contact your council. They will help, then just fill in the forms.

lighting_up_the_chalice

If she provides the local Housing Benefit/LHA department with all the details, they should be able to give her a very good indication of what, if anything, she can claim towards her housing costs/rent.

HappyMJ

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

Not sure if this is the right place but just wondering if anyone can give me advice.

My 24 year old daughter got herself pregnant last year giving birth to a beautiful baby girl in October. She was living on her own at the time and wasn't in a relationship with the baby's father although he's stepped up to the mark now, coming round to see the wee one regularly and paying my daughter £500 a month towards her support.

She works at a local nursery and is quite happy to go back to work when her maternity leave is up - the baby will get a place at the nursery so that side of things is sorted. When she was pregnant she decided she wouldn't manage on her own and moved back in with me which was decidedly cramped in a small 2 bedroom house with 3 cats and a large dog! We're coping but only just and things are somewhat strained.

She's been looking round at rented properties and seen one she likes but because she can't claim Housing Benefit until she's actually in somewhere she would need her rent paid up front for the first while. I'm happy to do that as long as I know I'll get it back because I can't afford it otherwise but is there any way to confirm she'll definitely get it?

She's spoken to a local CAB advisor who told her what she'll likely get based on her income and other details and it's perfectly sufficient to manage on but can we take that as a good likelihood she'd be entitled to this money or does it ever fall through? Our relationship is strained enough as it is without any more hiccups.

Would the Housing Benefit department be a better contact to confirm or do we just have to claim and hope for the best?

She'll get it back but the next month's rent will be due then as housing benefit is paid in arrears in rent is due in advance. She'll have to save for it.

Margaret_Skinner

sharp910sh wrote: »

Contact your council. They will help, then just fill in the forms.

You can't complete the forms and claim unless you're actually renting somewhere. It's taking that step without knowing for sure whether she'll definitely get the money - I just wondered if any claims ever fell through.

HappyMJ

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

You can't complete the forms and claim unless you're actually renting somewhere. It's taking that step without knowing for sure whether she'll definitely get the money - I just wondered if any claims ever fell through.

You can complete the forms before you move in and get housing benefit approved but as they pay in arrears you will get the money one month after the tenancy starts and never before the tenancy starts so she needs the first months rent and deposit saved up first.

Claims don't fall through they can be delayed for a long time until all the paperwork has been done. As soon as a housing benefit letter is received respond to it the same or next day...Every day delay will slow down the whole process.

Margaret_Skinner

lighting_up_the_chalice wrote: »

If she provides the local Housing Benefit/LHA department with all the details, they should be able to give her a very good indication of what, if anything, she can claim towards her housing costs/rent.

Thank you I think that's possibly our best bet. Just worried we might miss out on properties going at the moment because Council offices are closed for the holidays but better safe than sorry!

Margaret_Skinner

HappyMJ wrote: »

You can complete the forms before you move in and get housing benefit approved but as they pay in arrears you will get the money one month after the tenancy starts and never before the tenancy starts so she needs the first months rent and deposit saved up first.

Claims don't fall through they can be delayed for a long time until all the paperwork has been done. As soon as a housing benefit letter is received respond to it the same or next day...Every day delay will slow down the whole process.

Oh I didn't realise that - thanks so much we'll definitely do that. It's no problem getting the money together up front - just need to know that it will be paid in the long run at some point.

HappyMJ

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

Oh I didn't realise that - thanks so much we'll definitely do that. It's no problem getting the money together up front - just need to know that it will be paid in the long run at some point.

If you're hoping to get it back straight away then as soon as she gives it back to you her next rent payment is due and she then won't have the money. So how do you define "some point"? She will need to save it up from her income and child maintenance payments that she gets.

Margaret_Skinner

HappyMJ wrote: »

If you're hoping to get it back straight away then as soon as she gives it back to you her next rent payment is due and she then won't have the money. So how do you define "some point"? She will need to save it up from her income and child maintenance payments that she gets.

I'm not hoping to get it back straight away - I just want to know it's going to exist so that I don't get stuck paying rent for a 6 month lease with nothing coming back - ever. I'm ok with helping her get on her feet initially and she has some money saved already. I think I was just flabbergasted by the amount she was entitled to and hoping it wasn't a mistake. It's just a bit panicky taking on a rent without knowing you definitely have most of the money to pay for it - I'm not used to working like that.