Housing benefit and travel expenses?

Bambam2012

Hi all

New to the forum and just have a question regarding housing benefit.
My partner works on average of 30 hrs a week as a carer, he travels on average per day 60 miles between their houses .
He's on 7.10 per hour . He's the only one working as we have 2 small children and are expecting our 3rd.
For his hours worked per month he receives around £850 and then also receives a non taxable travel allowance ( around 13p a mile ) of £369 a month . ( he puts in around £100 a week just for work )

We would like to try and claim housing benefit but my question is : the travel allowance is non taxable but would they include this as his gross pay and only deduct his tax and national insurance ?

On online calculators it only asks u for gross, tax and national insurance and pension .

Please note this is not a non taxable travel allowance for travelling to and from work it is travel as part of his job. He drives to one house, then another etc . Every 30 mins from 7am- 10pm.

DomRavioli

They include ALL income usually, including allowances for transport or travel.

Most places don't pay for travel (even in the care sector) so he's on to a good one with his company.

You will need to provide all income details for HB - why not call your local authority and get them to do a calculation? They will be able to give you the correct figures as they are the ones who process it in your area, it would be the logical thing to do.

kittykat17

Hi, I'm not an expert but have, in the past, helped my late mother's carers sort out their tax returns / claims. The expenses are non-taxable and should not be included as part of the gross. In fact, if your partner is only getting 13p per mile he can actually claim more back from HMRC as part of his annual tax claim! From memory, I think HMRC allow something like 45p per mile and your partner can claim the difference back. The short answer is that the expenses should be disregarded for HB purposes!

jayII

kittykat17 wrote: »

Hi, I'm not an expert but have, in the past, helped my late mother's carers sort out their tax returns / claims. The expenses are non-taxable and should not be included as part of the gross. In fact, if your partner is only getting 13p per mile he can actually claim more back from HMRC as part of his annual tax claim! From memory, I think HMRC allow something like 45p per mile and your partner can claim the difference back. The short answer is that the expenses should be disregarded for HB purposes!

This is right because his travel (mileage) allowance is a work expense, rather than a personal (to and from place of work) expense.

He may need to fill in a self-assessment form to claim the additional mileage allowance. By claiming the extra, his overall tax bill should be reduced.