Housing benefit

BigAunty

fluffymovie wrote: »

Just a quick note to say that the LHA rates are due to increase in April so you may get a bit extra at that time. Worth checking your local council's website as I have had my LA's old and new LHA rates on there since start of Jan.

What are the chances that it will increase by around 14%? (If my maths is correct, not my strong point). Way, way above inflation and in an era where the government perpetually talks about cutting benefit expenses and driving down HB in particular (which doubled under the Labour Government).

Morglin

BigAunty wrote: »

You could be right but I thought the point of LHA was to promote choice (not sure how given most landlords avoid benefit claimants) and a person in receipt of HB can choose any cost/any size property that they like and just get the LHA they are entitled to. She's entitled to a 2 bedroom rate, AFAIK, so will get this regardless of moving into a 1 bed property which could be cheaper. Happy to be challenged on this point.

Just looked at our local council site, and it says that LHA will be paid for the property size you actually rent - one bed was lower than two bed.

Perhaps different councils have different rates?

Lin

Caz3121

Morglin wrote: »

Just looked at our local council site, and it says that LHA will be paid for the property size you actually rent - one bed was lower than two bed.

How is that actually worded? There are plenty people say with 2 children in 3 bedroom properties that get the 2 bedroom rate due to the age/sex of the children. Does your council actually pay the 3 bedroom rate if that is what they are in? And single people under 35 in a two bedroom property, surely they would not get the 2 bedroom rate!

I thought the only exception to the LHA being dictated by the bedroom calculator was where someone that would be entitled to the one-bedroom rate, decided to live in shared accommodation at which point they would only get the shared accommodation rate

BigAunty

I'm with Caz3121 - only those over 35 who are single who choose to live in shared accommodation who could have got the 1 bedroom rate get the lower sum of LHA.

As far as I know, for other types of household, they get the rate for x amount of bedrooms and can live where they please cost-wise (rent that is higher than their LHA entitlement they pay for themselves but rent that is lower gets capped at the rental sum) but it would be nice to have that confirmed definatively. This is my understanding for non-shared rate.

The maximum amount of benefit you can get will be the lower of either:

• your local housing allowance rate or,

• the amount of rent you are charged

I'm not saying moving to a 1 bed place is ideal but I've known other lone parents do this for various reasons. For example, my lone parent friend with one child is on the social housing waiting list and gets extra points for overcrowding. She could afford a 2 bedroom private place but loses her priority banding for social housing if she does and therefore has chosen to retain her cramped 1 bed to try and get a council place.

nannytone_2

i think what morglin means was that if you are entitled to the 3 bed rate, but live in a 2 bed property you only get the 2 bed rate and not the rate you are entitled to.
not that you can claim LHA for any sized property that you choose

it used to be that if you were entitled to the 3 bed rate, they paid rent upto that same amount even if you lived in a 2 bed.
so you could choose to have a smaller house, but in a nicer area and your 3 bed entitlement would make up the shortfall.

seems harsh that to get 2 bed entitlement ( as in the OP's cade) you must rent a 2 bed even if the LHA rate wont cover the cost

nannytone_2

cattermole wrote: »

No you can get the rate you are entitled to even if you live in a smaller property.

What you can't get is more than your actual rent is, so if the 1 bedroomed place you live in the rent is actually less than the 2 bed rate you would only get the actual rent due.

that is what i always thought to be the case, but a few people are saying that yoonly get the rent applicable to the property size and not the rent applicable to your circumstances refarding family size.
to be honest, i gavent researched it because my poorly PC is winding me up and im not known for my patience!

cattermole

In other words you can have a bigger property than your rate says you need, but you can't have a smaller one than your rate says you need?

Otherwise you only get the rate for the property you are actually in?

Sorry Nanny I deleted that post because I realised it was wrong after I posted it. Yes you did used to be able to do it but now you can't that is my understanding of it as well.

cattermole

Although it says differently here :

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/localhousingallowance.aspx

nannytone_2

cattermole wrote: »

In other words you can have a bigger property than your rate says you need, but you can't have a smaller one than your rate says you need?

Otherwise you only get the rate for the property you are actually in?

Sorry Nanny I deleted that post because I realised it was wrong after I posted it. Yes you did used to be able to do it but now you can't that is my understanding of it as well.

IF that is the case ( and it seems that it might be) then it is ridiculous and unfair.
the LA area i live in is vast, and has 2 mahor towns in it. the LHA rate is set mainly by property in those 2 towns. for example... the 1 bed LHA rate is just over £80 but outside of those towns, you cant find a private 1 bed let at under £100. the rent on my social housing 1 bed is actually £82 a week.

the fact that they say the LHA rate cobers the lowest third of the rental market is irrelevant, as there are already very few properties that seem to fall withing thos limits ( certainly not a third)

if the 1 bed rate doesnt cover the 1 bed rent, and the 2 bed rate doesnt cover the 2 bed rent ... people had the option to take a smaller property and use the living room for sleeping... or would share a room with their child ...
even that option now seems to have been removed.
my how the private landlords must be laughing....

StormyWeather_2

rachel19 wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advise
I have been renting my house privately through a letting agency for 10 years now, in November I had a letter to say my rent was increasing from 575 to 595 a month. I am a single mother n benefits at the moment, jobseekers allowance housing benefit etc.
I gave my letter to the council in nov and not heard back so contacted them and they said they are not paying the extra towards my rent. Im not sure what to do, my house is still extremely cheap rent wise for the area I live in, most houses are way over 600 so cant move, I feel stuck.

Have you had a continuous claim of HB for the last 10 years?

Realistically, you will find it difficult to find somewhere that is covered by the LHA amount. When they come up for rent they will be snapped up and those properties will have fewer changes of tenants. You'll also be competing with students and workers.

Apply for the discretionary payment. You've been there for 10 years. I think that would work in your favour.