Bedroom Tax / Under occupancy advice

supersaver2013

Hi All

I'm new to posting on here but been a lurker for about six yrs:p

Anyway, I'm after some advice for my mum. She is currently receiving housing benefit and lives in a 3 bed council house...she brought up me and my brother there and has been a tenant for 22 yrs.

So, with this bedroom tax coming into play, she will no longer be able to afford to live there as from April.... now my mum is happy to give up the property for a smaller one, the only problem she has, is that when bidding for 1 beds she hasn't yet been a successful bidder AND she doesn't have the funds to move.

I was wondering if anyone knows of anything or any scheme to help people on benefits with moving.

To add a spanner in the works, she has just found out that she has failed her ESA medical, so her money is really tight now!

may brother and I are unable to help as we have little ones in nursery, so childcare fees mean we have no spare cash.

Just thought I'd post on here, as I know you guys are a helpful bunch, and we are clueless now.

Dunroamin

The cheapest way of moving would be for you and/or your brother to rent a van and do it for her. Don't forget that there won't be so much to move as she's downsizing.

Bollotom

Some councils will help you to move if they have that scheme, going from a larger to a smaller property and going to a smaller property can get you a bounty. Best thing is to ask your Mom's housing department. :cool:

supersaver2013

Thanks for the reply, I'm trying to put a Tenner aside each month for possibility of a rental van....just hope I manage to save enough...I just wish she wasn't put in this position of moving by April

supersaver2013

The council have almost run out of budget for helping people downsizing.... the chap said he only has enough for 1 or 2 more moves....so no go there

coffeelover65

The government isn't actually expecting people to move into smaller accommodation as stupid as that sounds because the only way the figures stack up is if people stay in their current properties and take the financial hit which in your mothers case will see a reduction of 25% as there are 2 spare rooms.

supersaver2013

Hi coffeelover65, to be honest she is happy to downsize, she would prefer that...especially as she unable to pay £25 pw out of the 70 odd she gets
I just don't know how they expect all these people to afford it, not just the move, but also the shortfall in payments.

I just feel so bad for my mum.She has suffered with anxietyin recent years and this as really set her back.

bright_side

Have you tried looking at mutual exchange sites for your mum? I'm sure they'll be someone out there who is over-occupied and be extremely happy to swap.

I did an exchange in November to a smaller place because of upcoming changes to housing benefit. I hired a Luton van for £55 for the day - had to put in diesel, but as I wasn't moving far it was barely a fiver.

I'd been in my last house for 15 years and only acquired a spare bedroom when my daughter moved out last summer. I was terrified of moving home as I suffer with depression, but I realised that as long as I had the love/support of my family and friends it really doesn't matter where or what I live in.

supersaver2013

Thanks for that advice Bright Side, I will look into that for her. I am going to show my mum your post, hopefully it will spur her on a little

bright_side

Don't get me wrong, when I first found out I was going to have to move, I went through all the emotions from anger to devestation, not to mention complete and utter shock!! However, I realised that wasn't going to change my situation so I had to be proactive.

My council/ha couldn't help me either so mutual exchange was the only way to go and having a three bed house puts you in a good position, because there are so many people needing the extra bedrooms and the council can't instantly help them either.

I considered staying put and paying the extra, but when I did the sums it just seemed very silly - when you move there's always going to be something that you have to spend money on in the new place, but that doesn't compare to what you have to pay in 'bedroom tax' if you stay.

Your mums council will probably have an exchange website that you can sign her up to and a quick google will find any other area relevant sites. I actually got my exchange via a facebook local exchange site, so if you use fb it's worth looking on there too.

Best of luck x

mandi

bright_side wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, when I first found out I was going to have to move, I went through all the emotions from anger to devestation, not to mention complete and utter shock!! However, I realised that wasn't going to change my situation so I had to be proactive.



I considered staying put and paying the extra, but when I did the sums it just seemed very silly - when you move there's always going to be something that you have to spend money on in the new place, but that doesn't compare to what you have to pay in 'bedroom tax' if

Great post . I don't want to deviate from the OP , but in in my area private 1/2 bed flats are now on a par , if not more expensive than a 2 bed semi .

It looks like the private LL are cashing in already .