Help with housing benefits

Asmith2014

Hello hope someone on here can help me with how housing benefit works please, me and a friend want to move out and get our own place she is working and is going to rent a house privately, I'm. Not currently working I'm claiming (jsa) and want to claim housing benefits I believe for a shared accommodation they support you with £270.

So would it be possible for her to get the house on her own, and then me be able to rent a bedroom off her? If yes how does my side of the rent get paid will it go to my friend or straight to the landlord, will she have to ask the landlord if they accept (dss) or will that not matter in this situation. ?

Thanks

nannytone_2

she could take the tenancy on her own and rent a room to you. you would need to draw up a legally binding agreement.
if you are not on the tenancy, the landlord would not need to know you receive benefit, but your friend would have to make sure she is allowed to sublet.
the housing benefit (LHA) would be paid to you, and you would then need to either pay your friend, or the landlord

Asmith2014

Hi all we are worried about is her taking out the house and then I'm unable to get the housing benefiit, because she wouldn't be able to afford it on her own

pmlindyloo

Asmith2014 wrote: »

Hi all we are worried about is her taking out the house and then I'm unable to get the housing benefiit, because she wouldn't be able to afford it on her own

I think if your friend cannot afford the rent on her own then she may have great difficulty finding any landlord who will accept her as a tenant.

They will do credit checks on her and she will require one month's rent in advance and one month's rent as a deposit.

Of course you may be able to find someone who will take you both.

You cannot claim HB until you have a tenancy agreement or a lodger's agreement so finding somewhere to rent is your first step.

You will be eligible for HB if you are liable for rent to pay either to the landlord or your friend as long as they do not investigate you as being a couple.

Have you really looked into this?

Asmith2014

No I haven't really looked into it that's why I came on here for some help,
We'll she works full time and can afford it, but if I can't get the support she wants to go for 1 bed and get something cheaper, we have the deposit and months rent saved up already so that's not a problem

pmlindyloo

Asmith2014 wrote: »

No I haven't really looked into it that's why I came on here for some help,
We'll she works full time and can afford it, but if I can't get the support she wants to go for 1 bed and get something cheaper, we have the deposit and months rent saved up already so that's not a problem

OK

IS she aware that you will not be able to pay half the rent? You can look up what you will be entitled to by googling your local council. You would be eligible for the shared accommodation rate.

Once you know this then your friend will have to factor in your paying your share of the utilities and the council.

JSA is not a lot of money to cover everything so do work out the financial side of it really carefully as you do not want to fall out if you cannot pay your share.

How is the job searching going? Any prospect of a job soon? Might be worth doubling your efforts to find a job (or two part time ones), waiting until you get one and then going for the flat share.

Good luck with it all.

thorsoak

You do not say how old you are: be aware that the rules changed recently and that if you are 35 years of age, the benefit rates have been cut - see http://www.nihe.gov.uk/index/advice/advice_for_housing_executive_tenants/housingbenefit/housing_benefit_advice/single_under_35.htm