Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit - Bed room tax?

Pennyh17

My local council have always penalised me for my second bedroom even though due to illness, my Husband and I sleep in a room each. As this is now becoming law, have my council been acting ILLEGALY for he last four years?

CIS

The change in law is to try and harmonise the two separate parts of the housing benefit scheme - those in private rented properties have had their housing Benefit restricted under the Local Housing Allowance rules for a few years whereas council tenants and social landlord tenants have not.

The change from April 13 will now restrict properties for council and social landlord tenants albeit in a slightly different way to local housing allowance.

seven-day-weekend

Pennyh17 wrote: »

My local council have always penalised me for my second bedroom even though due to illness, my Husband and I sleep in a room each. As this is now becoming law, have my council been acting ILLEGALY for he last four years?

Is it a Council house or privately rented? If privately, it has been this way for some years. The change is to bring Social Housing tenants on Housing Benefit into line with private tenants on Local Housing Allowance.

Pennyh17

I am a private renter, and I did realise it was just for local authority housing. I was obviously up too late and not thinking straight. Thanks for your comments. Xx

john1002

Link to government document that explains in great detail the changes and also why they are doing it, makes for interesting reading.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/8463/19510253.pdf

John

Billy_two_speakers

Pennyh17 wrote: »

My local council have always penalised me for my second bedroom even though due to illness, my Husband and I sleep in a room each. As this is now becoming law, have my council been acting ILLEGALY for he last four years?

under the new laws coming in husband and wife sleeping in seperate bedrooms EVEN if sick can NOT claim the need for a second bedroom, before the law comes in I suppose the council can have there own rules/guide lines

The_squeezed_Middle

nannytone wrote: »

you keep repeating the lodger suggestion, and for some it is an option.

but as a single, disabled woman, i dont really think it would be a viable option.

on paper it seems like a good idea to free up homes for families, but the powers that be know exactly what housing stock is available, and it would have been glaringly obvious that there was a dire lack of 1 bed properties.

thats when the scheme would have looked even more positive, with the thought of all the extra money coming in!

as i've said previously, renting privately isn't an option for many, as the insecurity of tenure would leave many very vulnerable people having to fend for themselves when their day to day circumstances are already difficult enough

I'm sorry but there are other options which would be beneficial for both your disability and your safety/ security. Assisted living facilities (which i have priced) do not cost the earth, required passcodes to enter the building and would have all the specialist equipment you would need to aid your disability. Then you would not need to worry about the risk to your safety/ privacy by taking ion a lodger. I know many people do not like that these changes are happening, because they are affecting them directly, but everyone has to give a little to allow this country to get back on its feet. Personally i didn't like tha fact that national insurance rose to 12%, or that so much of my wages is sent on my commute to work due to rising fuel costs, (i do car share by the way in an attempt to offset these costs) but like everything else, you just have to accept the things for the greater good.

vodkawitch1

The smaller properties are not available so there is no choice.

wayne0

HappyMJ wrote: »

Are you in a council/housing association property? Yes, you would still get your housing benefit reduced even if on council tax benefit.

If you are in a private rental then your rates are based on LHA rates for your area already.

i spoke to hb manager at my council, regarding this...

he was a pleasant chap etc, and he explained that if i could find a 10 bed property within the LHA rates im entitled to (currently 2 bed) there would be no problem... but went onto say: "but you'll be lucky to find a decent 2 bed place around here for the two bed rate"

nice that even though the dept manager knows the lha rates cant cover the rents nothing is done eh. lol.

nannytone_2

The_squeezed_Middle wrote: »

I'm sorry but there are other options which would be beneficial for both your disability and your safety/ security. Assisted living facilities (which i have priced) do not cost the earth, required passcodes to enter the building and would have all the specialist equipment you would need to aid your disability. Then you would not need to worry about the risk to your safety/ privacy by taking ion a lodger. I know many people do not like that these changes are happening, because they are affecting them directly, but everyone has to give a little to allow this country to get back on its feet. Personally i didn't like tha fact that national insurance rose to 12%, or that so much of my wages is sent on my commute to work due to rising fuel costs, (i do car share by the way in an attempt to offset these costs) but like everything else, you just have to accept the things for the greater good.

i do appreciate the trouble youve gone ti with your post. the information contained would be valuable for someone that needs assisted living....
but that itsnt me.

i am physically and mentally fit, in fact i use the gym at least 3 times a week ( while i can afford it)

my disability is visual ( registered blind) and i an capable of living independantly, with the help of friends and family.

only last week, i heard of an assisted living property becoming available a dew streets from me.
own bedsit with cooking facilitie and bathroom. communal lounge and garden. not really appropriate but i did look into it.
the rent was £71 a week, which is £4 under the local 1 bed LHA rate.
thats hood i thought, and maybe in the future, would be worth considering.

but the sevice charge plus the support charge took the total to £130 a week. not so good.

my HA property has a locked outer door, and visitors have to be 'buzzed; in to the building. so security isnt an issue.
the only issue is the second bedroom.
but there are NO 1 bedroomed properties available to me.

sp paying the extra isnt a choice

i do appreciate that you dont want to pay extra NI, and that your transport costs have risen. i myself worked for many years and also had the same expenses, but you have the hope that your circumstances can/will improve.
i don't