LHA, moving house, new council....

emsywoo123

Howdy MSE peeps. :beer:

Currently receive some LHA at 2 bed rate from council X. I have a moving date of 4th Sept when I will be moving to a house in council Y. In between this time, I will change from 2 bed rate to 3 bed.

When can I apply for LHA on the new property? And what happens if I have a 2 week overlap of properties?

Many thanks :j

Housing_Benefit_Officer

You will have to claim a run on at your previous council for the 2 week overlap and claim HB at your new council.

To get the overlap you need to state you moved in the day your new tenancy started and to get HB at your new address you need to state you moved in the day you new tenancy started.

Get the claim in at your new council either a week before or the day or week you move in.

If you claim the week after you move in then your HB will only start from the following Monday after they get your claim and not the date you move in.

emsywoo123

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

You will have to claim a run on at your previous council for the 2 week overlap and claim HB at your new council.

To get the overlap you need to state you moved in the day your new tenancy started and to get HB at your new address you need to state you moved in the day you new tenancy started.

Get the claim in at your new council either a week before or the day or week you move in.

If you claim the week after you move in then your HB will only start from the following Monday after they get your claim and not the date you move in.

thank you, is a 2 week run on quite likely? I've been juggling numbers and it will be tight to pay rent on both, but there was nothing I could do if I wanted this new house

So I can apply for LHA the week before I move in? Excellent. I assume waiting times are dependant on council to council.....

Housing_Benefit_Officer

The rules are a maximum 4 weeks on 2 homes where someone moves.

To qualify you have to demonstrate there was an unavoidable overlap on 2 homes (i.e. handed in notice at the earliest opportunity of accepting the new home). That you moved into the new home to claim upto 4 weeks rent on the old empty home. The rules don't work the other way so if you remain in your old home and didn't move for 2 weeks you won't get HB at you new home until you move in.

Speak to your current council and get the forms completed to claim for payment on 2 homes. and Speak to you new council and get the new forms sent to you.

At your new council you will be treated as if you have never claimed before so they will need proof id, ni number, benefits rent etc.

My Council is currently processing claims within a couple of days they come in but a month ago we were taking 3 or 4 weeks - it depends on the current workload and backlog.