I don't know the first thing about housing benefit. Please help.

pmlindyloo

GolfGirl wrote: »

Emsywoo, I totally appreciate that there need to be strict rules when it comes to this sort of thing, otherwise there would be all sorts of shenanigans going on.

One of my earlier points was that, assuming my daughter was eligible for housing benefit in her leaking studio, she would eligible for less benefit now because we have set the rent so low. If, as I've already said, we had set the rent at market value and tried to claim the shortfall, that would be appalling (it would indeed be a contrived tenancy). But we've done quite the reverse. Since the rent is so ridiculously low, I would have expected her to receive only a small amount of benefit per month, if anything at all. I'm not sure if people have the idea that I expected the whole rent to be paid. Or that I've installed my daughter in the flat with the express intention of raking in housing benefit. Certainly neither is true.

However, I do appreciate that my innocence (and ignorance) of this area – coupled with the sensitivity surrounding the claiming of benefits – has caused certain people to leap fiercely upon me. And it's clear from some of the comments that not everyone is reading fully before they post. I appreciate it that you did.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I am still not sure if you understand about HB.

When you apply for HB the maximum amount you are allowed is related to your age and circumstances. So for someone under 35 and single without disabilities the maximum amount is the shared accommodation rate (ie. a room in a shared house) You can go on your local council website to find the rates (google your local council name and 'local housing allowance rates'.)

It does not matter how high or low the actual rent is, that is the maximum HB that you would get. So your rent could be £500 a month but you would still only be entitled to the local housing allowance for your age and circumstances. The tenant would then be expected to make up the difference in rent themselves.

So it does not actually matter what you have set the rent at. Your daughter would only be entitled to the shared room rate of HB and would have to find the remainder herself. She is not expected to pay the rent to you and then give you the HB on top.

As I said before a lot of councils refuse point blank to allow HB for people renting to close family.

When they do allow it they expect to see a proper tenancy agreement and your acting as a landlord.

This link, although old, does explain some of the problems.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-49290.html

Personally I have no problem with HB awarded when close relatives are the landlord. After all someone is going to benefit from the HB whether it be the close relative or some other landlord.

I also believe that many councils do not have any legal 'back up' about refusing HB in these circumstances. The actual guidance is very 'wooly'.

Your daughter should apply for HB from the council where the property is situated. I would suggest that you get a proper tenancy agreement drawn up and read up on your responsibilities of being a landlord. I would expect your council to do some through 'checking'.

You may think it is not worth the hassle.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Morglin

GolfGirl wrote: »

I clearly haven't expressed myself with adequate coherence – or perhaps you haven't read the whole thread. Both are likely, I think.

If you want to see me as a greedy, grasping scrounger, then that is your prerogative. However, I have to – politely – confess that I am entirely indifferent to strangers' opinions of me. I posted here for knowledge, not a debate on my character. Though, of course, you are entirely within your rights to comment in whatever way you see fit.

I really do appreciate the information I've been given on this thread. Thank you.

I would, first of all, put the figures (salary and rent) into this site, to just see if she would be entitled to any help with rent (regardless of who she might be renting from):

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

If she is earning too much to qualify, then the whole discussion is hypothetical anyway.

Unfortunately, in today's economic climate, there are a lot of us helping, supporting and subsidising our adult kids, long past the time we thought we would!:eek:

Lin

Caz3121

Morglin wrote: »

I would, first of all, put the figures (salary and rent) into this site, to just see if she would be entitled to any help with rent (regardless of who she might be renting from):

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

As above post, the rent figure is not used unless it it lower than the LHA, so you use the postcode in the calculator and it works the rest out

dodger1

GolfGirl wrote: »

If she got, say, £75/month HB, she could use that to top up the rent she pays to us.

I've got a feeling that won't make me very popular! However, she would have been eligible for HB in her previous hovel - where she was paying £200 more a month than she is paying us.

She wasn't getting HB in the previous property and was paying £200 more per month than what you are asking from her. Why doesn't she just pay you what she was paying at the studio flat, you get £200 more each month she pays the same but has a much nicer place to live. That looks like win win.

GolfGirl

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I am still not sure if you understand about HB.

No, you're not wrong! But, thanks to your excellent explanation, I think I'm finally getting it!

Morlock

GolfGirl wrote: »

We'll just suck it up and wait for her to meet a rich man. :-)

That's a good, solid plan for the future, insinuate that she'll never be successful and financially stable in her own right unless she meets a rich man.

GolfGirl

You're a bundle of laughs, eh, Morlock!

pmlindyloo

Morlock wrote: »

That's a good, solid plan for the future, insinuate that she'll never be successful and financially stable in her own right unless she meets a rich man.

Come on, such sarcasm is completely uncalled for.

This is a 'newbie. Have a little tolerance. The sign after the comment shows that the OP tried to use a smiley face to show it was a light hearted comment and for some reason it didn't 'translate' to the picture.

GolfGirl

No worries at all, Lindyloo!

(Not a newbie by any means, by the way - though I am new to this area. So I'm well used to the sort of attitude from some quarters on this forum. It washes over me.)

cte1111

I was earning £9000 when I left university, the equivalent of £14,740 currently according to an inflation calculator. I shared a rather tatty flat and had no problems living within my means. I didn't have to start repaying my student loans at that point so just had to cover my part of the rent and bills. This was in Bristol, which had pretty high rents, although not anywhere near as high as London.

I didn't expect my parents to sub me, why should they? Most people start off sharing and as you work your way up the career ladder, then you can save and hopefully eventually be in a position to buy or rent a place of your own.

Some of my friends moved back to their parents' houses until they were able to buy or rent somewhere alone. It wasn't an option for me and TBH I think the self reliance helped me be promoted into more responsible and well paid roles sooner than other people who hadn't had to be so self reliant.