Bedroom Tax for 13 months?

Willowstudent

Hi,

I'm just wondering whether, in the expert opinion of the forum posters here, I might have any case for appealing for discretionary payment of housing benefit for the next 13 months.

My circumstances are that I am a first year uni student. I'm a divorced single parent of four children in a four bedroom housing association house. two girls, two boys. The boys share a room and the nearly 15 year old girl has her own room, and the 7 year old girl the box room.

I get some housing benefit as my student loans don't cover living expenses. Because the eldest is not 16, I am considered to be under occupying by one bedroom. As soon as she turns 16 I won't be. Her birthday is in May, so for 13 months I have to find an extra £65 for rent...

It would be ridiculous to move as we need this size house.... I've been through my budget and cut down every possible expense. There isn't anywhere else except the food budget to shave it off......

Does anyone think I have any kind of grounds to appeal? I've got three years more at uni, and then I'll be able to get a job that will pay me enough to be completely free of state help - yay!

tomtom256

So your daughters 14 then?

Becaues if she is 15 now she will be 16 in around 2 months?

Sorry a little confused by the maths.

If she is 14 then yes you can ask, but unlikely you would get it for 13 months.

Do you not get any student loans/grants to support your housing costs?

mysterywoman10

Hi WS

Sorry to hear of your worries over rent. Welcome to the board. So it's because they are basically saying the 2 girls should share?! Until one of them is 16.

I agree it doesn't make sense to move in these circumstances, even if you could!

There has been much debate on here about room sizes and box rooms not counting which has been ruled out as an option for appealing on the grounds it isn't occuppied. But I'm just thinking and this is just a thought it might be worth measuring all the bedrooms, because there could be a case for overcrowding if you didn't use the box room for a 1/2 i.e. the youngest daughter.

One of the problems with the above is that living rooms and kitchens can also count.

You can definiately apply for a DHP though, but one of the problems with that is going to be allocation as funds are so limited and alledgedly are to meet the needs of people who have disabilities/adapted properties etc. Although they have long term needs and that is the main argument against funding them from DHP.

Your need is relatively short term until your eldest daughter reaches 16 and argueably that is what DHP is for to meet short term needs. It requires very detailed anaylsis of all spending though, so you will need receipts etc. to show where the money goes.

Sorry I can't think of anything else to help.

paddedjohn

Is it possibly to get a part time job to cover the shortfall?

HappyMJ

No offence intended at all....but I'd be looking for £2 a day. You should get maximum tax credits and child benefit which is over £300 a week. You can cut down something. Going a brand down in the supermarket helps tremendously. Shop at Aldi to avoid the temptation of branded items.

Maybe try a bit of the "up your income" ideas on the MSE forums. A bit of Mystery Shopping helps me which makes more than £2 a day. It's basically free of tax if you earn less than your personal allowance and you can earn a bit without affecting your tax credits.

paddedjohn

Roughly £1200 per month in benefits plus council tax exempt for being a student plus student grants and all but £65 of your rent paid and you can't manage? Surely you need to go over your sums again.

Willowstudent

I do get tax credits, but the housing benefit counts that and the student grant as income, so no I don't get 'all but £65' paid. I get the amount that brings my income to the specified minimum level. Well, I now get £65 less than that.

I also have lots of expenses - I commute to uni which costs £50 a week in petrol. I pay a family member for early morning childcare, etc

I wanted an opinion on the bedroom tax. Thank you to the poster who suggested the mystery shopping. I think it is simply going to be a case of generating the extra through a bit of resourcefulness.

HappyMJ

Willowstudent wrote: »

I do get tax credits, but the housing benefit counts that and the student grant as income, so no I don't get 'all but £65' paid. I get the amount that brings my income to the specified minimum level. Well, I now get £65 less than that.

I also have lots of expenses - I commute to uni which costs £50 a week in petrol. I pay a family member for early morning childcare, etc

I wanted an opinion on the bedroom tax. Thank you to the poster who suggested the mystery shopping. I think it is simply going to be a case of generating the extra through a bit of resourcefulness.

£50 a week is quite a lot of petrol. How far is uni? Could a bus or train be used even if just for a few trips instead? Bus tickets are generally cheaper than driving and parking costs. Do you do any other non essential trips that could be reduced?

Have you considered getting a more fuel efficient car?

paddedjohn

Do you get any maintenance off the kids father, if not you can ask the CSA (or whatever it's called now) to help.

306chris

Willowstudent wrote: »

I wanted an opinion on the bedroom tax.

Ok. If I were to apply your siituation to my local authority then you would have no chance. Firstly discretionary payments are for those in real need who cant improve their circumstances e.g. those that maybe house bound. You could take on a part time job, work from home etc

Secondly in my area discretionary payments will only last for 13 weeks. You'd need to check with your LA. However as the old saying goes, if you dont ask....

Sorry if I sounded harsh, I am in the same boat as you. In our house we have just budgeted to fit the payments in by cutting back on savings, entertainments, clothing, car has gone (I know you need this)

Witch_Hazel

Willowstudent wrote: »

I'm a divorced single parent of four children in a four bedroom housing association house. two girls, two boys. The boys share a room and the nearly 15 year old girl has her own room, and the 7 year old girl the box room.

So four children, one father, child support?