Housing+council benefit trust fund

Gabbatek

Hello

I have a trust fund that i recieve a low income from, i get part housing and council tax benefit and after i have paid rent, tax and all the bills i am left with just about 200 for the month for food, gas and electric as im on a meter and then i pay money towards my child. Pretty much i live on a very tight budget.

Is there anything i can do? tthe trust fund is an investment one in stocks etc. its in my name but i cant control any of the money.

Are the council meant to take trust money as an income? They struggle to pay the low income with the current stock market

Confuseddot

If yuo can give a few more details it may help. Are you currently working ? Claiming any benefits ?

Gabbatek

Not working. Only benefits i claim are housing and council tax but they only pay half because of my low income

Hang_Tight_Harry

If you have an income, no matter where from, then you are going to be entitled to receive less benefits. Of course, if you get a job, then the income from the trust fund will be all yours. Are you single or living with a partner? If you are, is that partner working? Are you living in a property that meets your needs (and is not bigger than you need?).

skintandscared_2

Is there a reason you're not working (eg disability, etc)? That might entitle you to other forms of benefit. Otherwise, getting a job would be the only other alternative.

Gabbatek

Me and the mothers child aren't together. Im moving into a two bed flat very soon so when i have my child she has her own room. I know i'll have to pay bedroom tax but its worth it. Im sure the bedroom tax will go eventually.

angelsmomma

Gabbatek wrote: »

Me and the mothers child aren't together. Im moving into a two bed flat very soon so when i have my child she has her own room. I know i'll have to pay bedroom tax but its worth it. Im sure the bedroom tax will go eventually.

It won't be a bedroom tax if it is a private rental. You need to find out what the LA allowance is for a single person. If you are under 35 you will only get the shared room rate.

eg where I live it is £57 a week so if you take a two bedroom you will need to find the extra money up to the rent. Having a child visit/stay is not counted.

BigAunty

Gabbatek wrote: »

Me and the mothers child aren't together. Im moving into a two bed flat very soon so when i have my child she has her own room. I know i'll have to pay bedroom tax but its worth it. Im sure the bedroom tax will go eventually.

This applies to social housing - have you been granted a housing association or council property? Many social housing landlords will not grant a bedroom in their allocation for a child whose primary residence, living with their main carer, is elsewhere.

Otherwise, in the private sector, a tenant has never been given Local Housing Allowance at any other than the size of the property they are presumed to need and it's up to the tenant to pay for any shortfall between the rent and the Housing Benefit.

This might be a rate to cover a room in a shared property if you are under 35 and it could be unlikely, if you are struggling now, that you would be able to afford a bigger property so check before you sign a tenancy agreement. You can identify your maximum LHA for the private sector on the local council website and then enter the info in the Turn2us online benefit calculator to double check how much you will get.

Gabbatek

Its a council flat. Bedroom tax is unavoidable as i dont have primary care

BigAunty

Gabbatek wrote: »

Its a council flat. Bedroom tax is unavoidable as i dont have primary care

You could apply for discretionary housing payment with your local council but it might not be granted and would only be temporary if you get it.

You can double check your benefit entitlement on the Turn2us online benefit calculator, though I can't think of anything you may be entitled to unless you are too sick or disabled to work.

Therefore your only options are to reduce expenses or increase your income to cover the housing benefit reduction for your spare room (not a bedroom tax, though I know this is how it is described by some).

You could download the budget planner on the MSE website and work through the site to identify how to slash costs - cheapest energy/telecoms tariffs, cheapest food shopping, cheap recipes, etc. There's info on this website how to find the cheapest energy meter or switch to non-pre pay energy tariffs for free.

To up your income, you could look at the Up Your Income board or get a job.

You could also try to negotiate with your ex to see if they will hand over any of the child tax credits/child benefit to help with the expenses of having the kid stay over or reduce the child maintenance you pay.

rogerblack

Hang_Tight_Harry wrote: »

If you have an income, no matter where from, then you are going to be entitled to receive less benefits.

This is not always the case.
Certain sorts of trust payments are ignored entirely for benefits purposes.