moving in with friend on housing benefits

europeanson_2

Hello everybody!

If anyone has come across this situation and is willing to help, I would like some information regarding the following problem:

I would like to move in with my friend, she lives in a 1 bedroom flat rented from an agency (private landlord). Problem is she is declared 'unfit' for work and receives benefits for that plus full housing benefit and the 25% council tax discount.

I work full time and i understand that her housing benefit will be reduced if i move in; if we become joint tenants it means we are each still responsible for the whole rent ( not just half each which seemed fair to me but i dont make the laws lol).

Does anyone know how much will they cut from her benefit if i move in?
If we dont want joint tenancy, are we allowed to become "separate tenants" with separate agreements if we are 2 people in 1 bedroom flat?
Also if that is not possible, is she allowed to sublet to me, her being on housing benefits (and assuming the agency permits subletting); in other words can i become her lodger (i am aware of the disavantages of excluded occupiers) i mean are ppl on housing benefits allowed to sublet?

Thanks:)

Caz3121

europeanson wrote: »

I would like to move in with my friend, she lives in a 1 bedroom flat rented from an agency (private landlord).

Are you in a relationship? will you be living together as a couple? I am guessing as 2 people in a one-bedroom flat you will be sharing the only bedroom

If this is the case for benefits purposes you will be treated as a couple and it is likely that any means tested benefits would be affected by your income
If she receives contribution based ESA then this would continue, DLA would not be affected but if on income based ESA payments would be stopped. Housing benefit would be based on the total household income so may stop also

MidnightHour

You could become a lodger and this wouldn't affect her ESA benefits but she would lose single person council tax discount.

However i think a lodger would need own bedroom.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

So where exactly will you be sleeping?

Will you have bunk beds in the one bedroom - or will you share 50/50 of the bed?

europeanson_2

hello again and thank you for the quick answers:j
we would share the bedroom yes, it is big enough for 2 comfortable single beds and other furniture lol
we are not a couple, just friends;
i knew that only married/civil partners get treated as a couple for benefit/legal reasons, right?

nannytone_2

wrong.
you dont need to be married/civil partners to be a couple.
they will look at how your finances and living arrangements are worked.
you have said that you will ne sharing a bedroom. How will your food shopping be done?
will you be cooking/eating together?
how will bills be paid?

especially since you will be sharing a room, they will want substantial proof that you are not a couple

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Are you male or female and what sex is your friend?

europeanson_2

bills and food and everything else would be paid 50/50.

whats the difference if we are a non couple or couple for them if we go dutch anyways? sorry if i ask weird questions i just dont know ..
and also if now we are friends and lets assume we become a couple in a few months but we still pay everyhting 50 /50 whats the change ?

i read that even if a friend lives with u in the same flat and doesnt pay rent they will still cut the housing bfit because they assume he/she pays some rent, so my question was are they cutting half of her money for the rent if my salary is good enough to pay the other half or how do they do it?
thanks again

europeanson_2

im male and shes female but we are not a couple and we would pay everything 50 50

nannytone_2

if they decide you are a couple, you would be expected to support your friend financially.
freinds arent expected to support friends financially.

the fact that you ask what happens if you do become a couple in a few months, points to the fact that you are already in a relationship,

if you claim as friend when you are in fact a couple would be benefit fraud.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

I wouldn't pay any Housing Benefit on a case like this - I would refer it to our Fraud Department.