Housing Benefit leaving care

mlr1984

Hi i just had a question on behalf of my 18 year old brother. He cam out of care into a council house a couple of months ago and is currently getting housing benefit, council tax benefit and JSA. He is a diabetic and also gets the highest rate disability allowance.

He has just found out his 17 year old girlfriend is pregnant and has asked her to move in with him. How would this leave him with his benefits? She is 18 in july and currently at college. She wants to take a year out and not look for work but he will still be eligible to look for work wont he? Could someone explain how it would work?

I was also wondering what would happen to his housing benefit if a partner was to move in with him. Would he still be entitled to leaving care help?

Would be grateful for any help as i have looked online and cant find much. THanks

pmlindyloo

Sorry, have deleted my post as having done some more reading I am not sure that my post was helpful.

The first part is still true. Your brother's girlfriend's parents may be claiming Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits for her whilst she is in full time education. If she claims benefits in her own right then these will end.

If she chooses to move in with your brother then they need to seek advice. Has your brother still got a personal advisor or someone from the local authority who supports him?

Benefits for young people are very complicated so rather than 'lead you up the garden path' I suggest they get some professional advice.

mlr1984

Yes he has a 16+ worker i think. It gets difficult as his girlfriend is our stepsister (our parents married last year). She lives with our mum and her dad.

At the moment they get tax credits and child benefit for her but she finishes college in july and they have tried to tell her their money stops for her and she thinks she will still get child benefit till she has baby which is not the case. They are ok with their moving in together if thats what they want but my mum is a little worried that my brother may lose his leaving care help if he moves in with someone who can work and potentially pay rent. She is nearly a fully qualified hairdresser and was due to go back in september to do her final year but now she wants a year out.

Do you know what would happen to our parents money if she decides to live with them after leaving college. They are self employed with 2 children in their early teens and get housing benefit and tax credits?

Thanks for help

silvercar

Yes he has a 16+ worker i think. It gets difficult as his girlfriend is our stepsister (our parents married last year). She lives with our mum and her dad.

For the future be aware that step siblings can't marry each other if they have lived in the same household while one of them is under 18.

I assume that your brother lived in care if as you say he came out of care, but worth a mention.

I don't know enough about the benefits other than to see the number of bedrooms for HB calculation may drop if the girlfriend moves out.

CKhalvashi

silvercar wrote: »

For the future be aware that step siblings can't marry each other if they have lived in the same household while one of them is under 18.

I assume that your brother lived in care if as you say he came out of care, but worth a mention.

I don't know enough about the benefits other than to see the number of bedrooms for HB calculation may drop if the girlfriend moves out.

I didn't think about the first part of that SC, certainly very interesting.

You need to seek advice on benefits, as there isn't enough here on financials to be able to give a clear answer.

CK