Can I claim Housing Benefit?

hgm127

Hi there,

I've been reading GOV.uk trying to get a simple answer to my question but no luck! So I was hoping someone here could help me.

I live in a 2 bedroom flat with my girlfriend and a flatmate. My girlfriend and I share nothing in the legal sense (separate bank accounts, NOT living as spouses/civil partners as it says on the housing benefit form...we just share a bedroom).

We each pay 1/3 of the rent, which is £250 each p.m.

My girlfriend earns 20k+ a year, so she is fine. (Like I said we don't share money or an account). Our flat mate also earns separately. We each pay 1/3 of the bills too (direct debited from my girlfriend's account, we give her the cash or do an online transfer)

I am on £12,786 before tax p.a. I struggle to make ends meet during the month and I have been advised by friends and family to request housing benefit until I can find a higher-paid job. I know it is likely to be a small amount but every little really does help!

Do you think my claim would be accepted?

Thanks in advance for the help

Torry_Quine

To the benefit agency you are living together as husband and wife so it would need to be a joint claim and your incomes together would be too high I expect.

jacques_chirac

You share a bed, you are LTAHAW. Declaring otherwise on the HB application form will be fraudulent.

hgm127

Oh wow I didn't know that! I assumed Living as.. meant legally tied to one another.

Ok, so I won't be able to claim then I'm guessing and will instead have to sponge from my gf..argh!

Thanks for helpful info folks!

fabforty

hgm127 wrote: »

Oh wow I didn't know that! I assumed Living as.. meant legally tied to one another.

Ok, so I won't be able to claim then I'm guessing and will instead have to sponge from my gf..argh!

Thanks for helpful info folks!

Not necessarily. Your net income is £959p.c.m, minus the rent leaves £700 per month. Utilities for a two bed flat share won't be that much, so it should be manageable on your income. Try posting an SOA for help with reducing your outgoings.

Jobseeeker

No you cant.

But the problem is you and g/f should be paying only half the total rent for the room not two thirds. This is a common situation and the rent for a room would normally be the same if one person or a couple are renting it. Utility bills would still of course be split 3 ways

Just my opinion...

nannytone_2

Jobseeeker wrote: »

No you cant.

But the problem is you and g/f should be paying only half the total rent for the room not two thirds. This is a common situation and the rent for a room would normally be the same if one person or a couple are renting it. Utility bills would still of course be split 3 ways

Just my opinion...

one bedroom could be a good sized, en suite and the other could be a boxroom.....

the OP, his girlfriend and their flatmate have made an arrangement , would be really unfair if they tried to re negotiate it if the terms were set when they all moved in--

lukieboy96

They're sharing a bed but not 'living' together!! Don't make me laugh!

pmlindyloo

lukieboy96 wrote: »

They're sharing a bed but not 'living' together!! Don't make me laugh!

To be fair this question about living together never arose when people didn't live together until they were married (if you get what I mean) It was straightforward then.

In today's world (you can tell I'm an old fogey) people start living together before they make a commitment together. This means they don't share finances at all and do not consider that they should support each other financially.

I quite understand that (so not such an old fogey after all )

Unfortunately the benefit system hasn't kept with the times!

Jobseeeker

nannytone wrote: »

one bedroom could be a good sized, en suite and the other could be a boxroom.....

the OP, his girlfriend and their flatmate have made an arrangement , would be really unfair if they tried to re negotiate it if the terms were set when they all moved in--

Yeah thats a good point. But it might be something to think about in the future if they move on

sunnyone

lukieboy96 wrote: »

They're sharing a bed but not 'living' together!! Don't make me laugh!

There are many people who share a house but not a bedroom who are classed as "living" together.