Advice about moving house.

Zakalwe

I currently live in a 3rd floor flat (housing authority), but have PPMS and have been largely housebound for the last couple of years. I've had my name down for rehousing for a disabled access ground floor place for a couple of years, and got a call to day to tell me I was being offered one.

The new place is a new build which should be completed by the end of the month, at which point I can view it. Guaranteed I'll accept as it is also very close to my parents place, and they are the extent of my support network, and I'll finally be able to buy a wheelchair and go outside myself

I'm getting really stressed worrying about the logistics of it all so trying to plan what will be required. I currently receive housing benefit, council tax rebate, ESA support, and DLA. I will only be moving 8 miles, but it's into a different region (I'm currently in West Dunbartonshire and will move to Argyll & Bute).

Has anybody got any pointers about what is required regarding my benefits when I move (or anything that might help for that matter).

Thanks,

Zak

TELLIT01

Nothing more than informing them of your change of address should be necessary.

GirlFromMars_2

ESA and DLA will need to know a change of address, after you move. You need to phone them as soon as possible after you move into the new place. They won't accept a change of address before you move. And even though they're both the DWP you need to phone each separately.

As you're moving to a new area you'll need to put in a new Housing Benefit Council Tax Benefit claim with the new council. I believe you can put in the application form before moving, but they will need to speak to you after you move to check that you really are living at the new place.

I believe you can get Housing Benefit for two places concurrently when you move if the rent periods overlap slightly.

So you need to get in touch with the new council for the relevant forms for Housing Benefit & Council Tax Credit.

Zakalwe

GirlFromMars - many thanks for the info. My main concern with benefits initially is the housing benefit. The process of moving will take a couple of weeks, and considering the expense involved I'm worried I end up with full rent to pay for a while, which I'll struggle to afford. When I get a better idea of the completion date of the build (at the moment it's between 4-8 weeks) I'll be able to contact agencies about it all.

GirlFromMars_2

I would give the new council a call and see what they say.

If the new flat is with a Housing Association then they may accept rent in arrears as and when the council get round to paying it. It may be worth giving them a call and asking whether they need a deposit month in advance etc.

Hopefully things will go smoothly for you, and you'll soon be in a much more suitable home and able to live your life properly again!

Zakalwe

GirlFromMars wrote: »

Hopefully things will go smoothly for you, and you'll soon be in a much more suitable home and able to live your life properly again!

I can't wait. I haven't been able to manage a bath for 18 months so have gone to my parents once in a while for a shower. The new place will have a wheel-in shower :T

The only downside is going from a 2 bedroom to a 1 bedroom so there will be a lot less space (might have to get rid of the chest freezer and tumble dryer, or change my double bed for a single), but at least no more bedroom tax

GirlFromMars_2

I can empathise, I was living in totally unsuitable accommodation for over a decade, I finally moved earlier this year, and it is amazing what a difference the correct accommodation can make to your life!

I'm sure you'll work out the space to suit your needs, and remember if you can get out more easily you won't need nearly so much freezer space, as you'll actually be able to go to shop! Will you have outside space to dry clothes? Otherwise a tumble dryer is very useful!

[Deleted User]

when we moved from one benefits area to another we had a couple of weeks when non were paid,and the HB took a little longer than that,so my advice would be to have some cash put aside if you can

Zakalwe

GirlFromMars wrote: »

Will you have outside space to dry clothes? Otherwise a tumble dryer is very useful!

I have no idea at the moment. The houses are being built on the site of my former secondary school about a minute walk from my parents house, so I have seen some in passing - the whole development is a mix of single level bungalows, and 2 and 3 level flats, so I don't know yet what it will be, all I know at the moment is it's ground floor and is wheelchair adapted. To be honest, living alone I don't have to do a washing too often so it isn't a big deal to hang clothes over radiators to dry.

woodbine wrote: »

when we moved from one benefits area to another we had a couple of weeks when non were paid,and the HB took a little longer than that,so my advice would be to have some cash put aside if you can

I've been saving where I can over the last couple of years, so I have a little aside so could afford a month without benefits but I'm hoping to use that money to fund the move and expenses. It will no doubt be a stressful couple of months until everything gets settled, so I will keep my fingers crossed there aren't too many delays with DWP/council red tape.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

If there is an unavoidable overlap in tenancies on the properties - i.e. being given the tenancy on the property and having to give one months notice on your old property you could get payments on 2 homes for up to 28 days.

You have to have moved into your new home first and for any period of overlap you can get the rent paid on your old address for upto 28 days. The 28 days starts from the date you first knew you were moving.

So if you viewed and signed the tenancy agreement on 1st September and didn't move out of your old address until the 13th September the you would get housing benefit for the property you lived in to the 28th September. Your Housing Benefit for your new address would start on the 13th September being the date you moved in not from the 1st September being the date your tenancy started as you didn't move in straight away.

GirlFromMars_2

Zakalwe wrote: »

I have no idea at the moment. The houses are being built on the site of my former secondary school about a minute walk from my parents house, so I have seen some in passing - the whole development is a mix of single level bungalows, and 2 and 3 level flats, so I don't know yet what it will be, all I know at the moment is it's ground floor and is wheelchair adapted. To be honest, living alone I don't have to do a washing too often so it isn't a big deal to hang clothes over radiators to dry.

Glad to hear it's near your support network, and an area you know well! Hopefully you'll get lots of help with the move! And I'm sure you'll work out the details once you're in!