Another crazy benefit rule - have I got this right?

ukclare

My son has finished Uni but is going back after Christmas - It appears that the housing benefit/council tax benefit rule is that we lose about £60 per month as we have him living with us. If he signs on and gets JSA we lose nothing even though he is £58 per week better off and conceivably has a way to contribute to the household - the logic escapes me - is this correct?

SuziQ

If he has no income, then why would you lose housing benefit or child tax credit? When my dd came home from Uni she didn't claim for a few weeks as her loans ran officially to a certain date. She then claimed JSA and we received a zero change ( I claim CTB not housing benefit.) Even when she started working part time at wimpy ( all she could get) we still received a zero change in benefits. I believe it is called a ' non dependent deduction' or 'non dep deduc' as the irritating woman on the advice line kept calling it!

ukclare

SuziQ wrote: »

Even when she started working part time at wimpy ( all she could get) we still received a zero change in benefits. I believe it is called a ' non dependent deduction' or 'non dep deduc' as the irritating woman on the advice line kept calling it!

Deductions start when they earn £125 per week then the amounts above kick back in and we lose about £60 pm - which seems only right!

I asked in the council advice centre, which deals with HB and CTB and it was they who told me about the deductions when they are NOT earning

RAS

Son will be expected to make a non-dependant's contribution to the rent and CT bill.

If you provide them with his income details they will assess this on his income; if you do not they will assume the maximum contribution.

ukclare

RAS wrote: »

Son will be expected to make a non-dependant's contribution to the rent and CT bill.

If you provide them with his income details they will assess this on his income; if you do not they will assume the maximum contribution.

So I suppose the logic is that if we do not declare anything he could have income but if he claims JSA they know there is no income.

missapril75

SuziQ wrote: »

I believe it is called a ' non dependent deduction' or 'non dep deduc' as the irritating woman on the advice line kept calling it!

I totally understand the desire to shorten rather than have to say "the non dependent deduction" over and over again, but that's a silly one.

In a specific conversation such as that there's only one deduction so why on earth not just simply say deduction?

Affynity

Council tax changes have probably removed the discount you used to get for having a household occupant in full-time study or unemployment.
However, unless your son is due to start a course, not continuing one OR he is studying part time, I was under the impression students cannot claim JSA during their academic breaks because, for as long as you are a student, you are classed as 'unavailable for work'.

fluffymovie

The HB regs do have some odd aspects but yes, this is correct.

A Non Dep who is not in remunerative work and not claiming JSA, attracts the lowest level of deduction. If they claim Income Based JSA, there is no deduction whilst they are under 25. If they claim JSA Contribution based, the lowest deduction applies.