Housing Benefit

NewUserHere

My income is due to go down significantly starting in about 2 weeks due to going in to education as a mature student. I'm self-employed BTW.

For 7 weeks from 1st Sep i'll earn about £100pw (which according to calculator i'd get about £30pw in HB), then will earn £270 for 2 weeks (thus don't deserve any help), then about 7 weeks of £100pw then 2 weeks of £250-£270.

So how will thus work? Do I apply on the 1st Sep, write £100pw income then ring them when my income goes up for the 2 weeks etc. Or do I say For sep i'll earn circa £500 and for Oct i'll earn circa £670.

Or what?
Anybody know how this HB stuff works?

pleasedelete

you need to tell them that you will be a student. How old are you?

Indie_Kid

Are you a full time student? Full time students can't generally get benefits.

NewUserHere

FT student at the local college, being 16hrs per week across 4 days.
27yr old.

Basically, from Sep 1st there will be 31 weeks until end of tax yr (April 2015). Of this i'll do 3 weeks work 5 days (as my partner works the other 2 days and I look after our child), 27 weeks reduced hours, and 1 week reduced hours (so basically 28 - xmas week).

Indie_Kid

Ok, in that case, you may be able to get some housing benefit due to having a child.

Will you be receiving any financial help from college?

NewUserHere

To my knowledge there isn't - but I need to re-arrange a meeting with the financial officer to discuss it all.

Fees are being paid for by myself and my partners contribution.

Would the calculation on my local authorities website be inaccurate then with my being in education come the claim? Can my partner apply instead based on my income to avoid this?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

self employed income isn't constantly changed for benefit purposes due to fluctuations in your self employed income. We usually take one years self employed income to calculate the coming years benefit so last years accounts will be used to calculate the coming years benefit entitlement. Will you get any grant or loan? Will you get any tax credits?

NewUserHere

Hah! Well last year I made short of £10k under self assessment, this year up to Sep short of £5k then Sep-April 5th £3.5k...if it's based on last years income, or even average weekly income since April I won't be entitled to anything according to the calculator sadly.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

NewUserHere wrote: »

Hah! Well last year I made short of £10k under self assessment, this year up to Sep short of £5k then Sep-April 5th £3.5k...if it's based on last years income, or even average weekly income since April I won't be entitled to anything according to the calculator sadly.

If this years self employed income is substantially less than last years they may recalculate your self employed income every 13 weeks. You will need to speak to your Local Housing Benefits office and explain your circumstances to see how they will treat your self employed income.

NewUserHere

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

If this years self employed income is substantially less than last years they may recalculate your self employed income every 13 weeks. You will need to speak to your Local Housing Benefits office and explain your circumstances to see how they will treat your self employed income.

Hi,

April-Sep isn't substantially lower. April-Sep income wouldn't see me qualify according to the benefits caculator.
The end of year result for 13/14 then forcasted 14/15 isn't majorly different, being £9015 and £8500 respectively.
But this second half of 14/15 my income will fall drastically - to £100-£120pw... so according to the calculator if i'm earning this then i'd qualify for a sum per week. But not sure how far back they'll look - you say 13 weeks, is this some kind of official guidance or something?

I'm a bit confused why they'd look at my SE for last year though, as on the calculator it says

"Benefits use net current weekly earnings - essentially the amount you received in the last week as take home pay after tax and National Insurance have been paid."

Housing_Benefit_Officer

NewUserHere wrote: »

Hi,

April-Sep isn't substantially lower. April-Sep income wouldn't see me qualify according to the benefits caculator.
The end of year result for 13/14 then forcasted 14/15 isn't majorly different, being £9015 and £8500 respectively.
But this second half of 14/15 my income will fall drastically - to £100-£120pw... so according to the calculator if i'm earning this then i'd qualify for a sum per week. But not sure how far back they'll look - you say 13 weeks, is this some kind of official guidance or something?

I'm a bit confused why they'd look at my SE for last year though, as on the calculator it says

"Benefits use net current weekly earnings - essentially the amount you received in the last week as take home pay after tax and National Insurance have been paid."

But you are not a wage earner - you are self employed. Earned income and self employed income are treated differently.

What is the reason your self employed income will drop? Is this a regular yearly occurrence or is the nature of your self employment changing?

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236962/hbgm-bw2-assessment-of-income.pdf

W2.330 onwards.