Partner Died..Bedroom Tax now want £70 a month more

curtainsplitter

My partner died last November as he has CF.
Since then I've struggled to manage his debts and running a house on my own and so I've had CAB help me with some of the debts by lowering to them and speaking to them. Now today i got a telephone called that as am a single parent who gets 'widower allowance' I am to pay £70 bedroom tax per month. I already don't get full housing benefit due to the fact apparently am a 'working age'. This seems unreasonable and I read that some councils will help people..I just wondered considering my circumstances is it tough luck or is there anything i can do? I live on my own with my 2 year old son. House is 3 bedrooms, my son sleeps in 1 and I sleep in the other.

pmlindyloo

Put your details into the benefit calculator on here: https://www.entitledto.co.uk
and check that you are getting the correct benefits.

I am presuming the debts are joint debts as you would not be responsible for the debts in someone else's name.

Since you are talking about bedroom tax then I am also presuming you are living in social housing.

If this is all correct then you can apply for a house swap - change to a 2 bed and/or you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment to meet your extra costs. (application from from the council)

£70 seems a lot for a bedroom tax, hence why I suggested you use the benefits calculator.

specialboy

Since there's only you and your son living there you will only get the 2 bed rate, if you want to have a third bedroom you will have to pay the excess amount yourself, as above though, £70 does seem on the high side unless you aren't getting the full amount of your rent paid due to your income.

curtainsplitter

I don't work, but its not because I am lazy or anything. It's because I don't get any help with childcare or anyone to look after him and calculated next to a nursery cost+transport it would cost me £1800 a month just to have my son looked after and transport to the nearest big cities for work as I don't drive. on top of that that doesnt include my bills for the house and rent + this tax.

I get widowers benefit only and i did apply for council tax exemption but they told me as i was of a working age apparently i don't qualify for full exemption?

I am going to look into the discretionary payments

pmlindyloo

Aren't you getting child tax credits?

merlin68

Are the debts in his name if so you shouldn't be paying them. Bedroom tax is correct as you would only get rent paid for a 2 bed and yours is a 3.

allen35

As your income is a little higher than your personal allowance you don't qualify for full entitlement.

There is a scheme called Discretionary Housing Payment which you can apply for from your Local Council. This may help with the shortfall in Housing Benefit for a short period.

If you did get work you would receive assistance with childcare costs, you need to get a better off calculation as your child will be in full time school before you know it.

You will qualify for the 15 hours of free childcare once your child is 3, maybe look at doing some sort of voluntary work to brush up on your skills.

£70 per month is probably right on a rental of £100 approx' for 1 extra bedroom and a small amount of rent you have to pay due to excess income.

nannytone_2

for bedroom tax purposes ...
you have a 12 mpnth 'grace' period after the death of a household member. so unless your income has risen, they are obliged to continue to pay the same amount of HB for a year tp gove you time to either move or to find a way of paying the shortfall

Lioness_Twinkletoes

nannytone wrote: »

for bedroom tax purposes ...
you have a 12 mpnth 'grace' period after the death of a household member. so unless your income has risen, they are obliged to continue to pay the same amount of HB for a year tp gove you time to either move or to find a way of paying the shortfall

The OP has advised her partner died last November - so the year's grace has expired.

bloolagoon

Is this a hijacked account?

Witch_Hazel

bloolagoon wrote: »

Is this a hijacked account?

Certainly appears strange.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/66428514#Comment_66428514