Benefit rules for visitors

David160

I will be having my mum staying with me for a few days. What are the rules for housing benefit, JSA, child tax credits and child benefit in these circumstances? My mum is on JSA and housing benefit. Does she have to cease her claim where she lives, make a claim where I live for a few days, then cease that and reclaim where she lives? Or what?

thorsoak

If its just a few days - up to a week or so - I should imagine that existing claims remain. If the visit is going to be longer than a week, then it might be worth checking with the local DWP - but if her home remains at the same address, and her bills remain at the same house, I cannot see a problem.

Morglin

Not for a short break, involving a few days, no.

How long is she staying for?

Lin

David160

She is staying for 3 days Friday to Monday. A neighbour had someone stay for a week, and lost a months benefit including rent, as she did not tell them.

PlymouthMaid

I would have thought it was ok to have short term visitors but you could ring them to check to put your mind at rest. I expect there was more to the neighbour's story.

thorsoak

Who was in receipt of benefits? Your neighbour or visitor? If it was your neighbour, was the visitor a member of the opposite sex and not a relative?

poorlittlefish

On the stuff I got given by the Job Centre in relation to JSA it said I had to notify them if I was going away and specified that this applied even if I would only be away from home for the day!

David160

POORLITTLEFISH Yes, you are correct. You also have to tell them if you have anyone staying with you, even for one day.

But if you tell them your mum stayed for a few days (or even one day), the first thing they do is stop ALL benefits, you then have reapply for benefits, remember do it immediately, they do not backdate. They assume that she has moved in with you and you are now living together.

She will also lose her benefits as she has now moved out of her home (I know its only for a few days). She also has to reapply for her benefits. She has to tell them that she has not stayed at her home, even for a day.

You then have to prove that it was a visit (assuming visits are allowed), but how do you do that? They do not believe anything you say. They do not listen to excuses, eg I got stranded in Manchester because the car broke down. Do you want to spend a lot of time and energy appealing, with lots of visits to CAB and your landlord threatening to evict you?

I was told by a benefits employee, confidentially, he would lose his job, not to mention staying away or others staying with you, but if you get reported or caught then you get sanctioned and lose at least one months benefits, including rent, so you will probably get evicted.

So the only realistic option is not to go and stay anywhere else overnight, or have anyone stay with you overnight. If you have a journey to make, eg a wedding, make sure you get there and back the same day; if this is not possible do not go.

This is why I have asked what are the rules for visitors.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

David160 wrote: »

I will be having my mum staying with me for a few days. What are the rules for housing benefit, JSA, child tax credits and child benefit in these circumstances? My mum is on JSA and housing benefit. Does she have to cease her claim where she lives, make a claim where I live for a few days, then cease that and reclaim where she lives? Or what?

For Housing Benefit we couldn't care less for casual visitors staying a few days or a week or so if it was just a one off (i.e. relative visiting).

If it was a partner then we would want to know to see if they were living there permanently or you were living together as husband and wife.

David160

I disagree with you. Claimants I have had contact with indicate that what I said was correct. Housing benefit officers, along with other employees are harsh with claimants.

FairyKitty

I was told at the jobcentre I must even tell them if I leave my town for the day. I don't bother though. If times I go away don't fall on sign in days, I say nothing because all I get is hassle. What do they care as long as I come in to sign on and bring proof of jobs applied for? They're just way too nosey and want to keep tabs on everyone.