Housing benefit calculated wrong?

stundent

Hi housing benefit officer.

The income you list for student income is correct. However during the months of July and August it is 100%disregarded.

When the council calculates my income it take my student monies over 42 weeks with various disregards applied. For the other 10 weeks I am classed as having a nil income.

(This is what I am lead to believe by my university finance office and my own research)

Any ideas on why the computer may have spit out a lower figure?


P's.

The info showing that income is disregarded during this period is below

For all courses, student loan income is taken into account
• from the frst complete beneft week which coincides with or immediately follows the start of the academic year
• to the last complete beneft week which coincides with or precedes the last day of the course
2.236 This period excludes any beneft weeks that fall entirely in the quarter during which the longest vacation is taken. For the majority of students, this will be July and August. For this reason, loans for students resident in
• England and Wales will generally be taken into account from September to June
• Scotland will generally be taken into account from mid-August to June


Cheers

[Deleted User]

Do you have a link for that information?

stundent

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-benefit-guidance-part-c


Not sure if I can link, if not Google c2 student claims

Cheers

Caz3121

stundent wrote: »

However during the months of July and August it is 100%disregarded.

If this is correct, would your current award notification not be correct for now and then you would report a change of circumstances for July/August?...Many students work over the summer months so I guess they do not guess that you will have a zero income and deal with it as you inform them
just a guess

stundent

Hi caz,

No the sheet I've been given actually shows the calculation as it will be for the period of July 7th to spite, be 25th (the period the council are treating as nil income from me) my wife's income is subject to change due to hours and we will keep informing them of that.

As I say, the income they have for us is correct (including nil for me) but the disregards for child benefit, couples and Woking tax haven't been taken off.

Ie the income adds up correctly if you include the child benefit 100% and ignore the 17.10 and 10 disregards.

stundent

Hi all,

I've just sent a letter to the council including the below calculation that I have done using the figures the council have.

Could anybody tell me if there are any mistakes.


l figures are weekly

Income

Child tax credit ......... 51.66
Working tax credit ....112.31
Maternity pay.............159.11
Child benefit 1............20.70
Child benefit 2............13.70

Total income .............357.92

Allowances

Family premium ............17.45
Young person under 11.. 66.90
Young person under 11.. 66.90
Couple 18 - pension ........114.85

Total allowances ............266.10

Income disregards

Working tax credit .........17.10
Couple..............................10.00
Child benefit 1 .................20.70
Child benefit 2 .................13.70

total disregards..............61.50

Income after disregards 296.42

Entitlement calculation

Income after disregards........ 296.42
Allowances ..............................266.10
Excess income.........................30.32
Weekly liability. .......................103.59
Less 65% excess......................19.71

Weekly hb. ..............................83.88

stundent

Hi all been to the office today.
The difference is down to them still no luring 50 per week of my student Income.

I have challenged this as it appears they are mistakenly treating my adult's dependant grant as a nhs dependants grant. A slight difference in name but also in how they are treated in the calculation. Ie, nhs is taken over 52 wees with no disregard, adg has no specific advice so should be treated as the rest of my student income.

I will update once a final reassert is made

bloolagoon

stundent wrote: »

Hi all been to the office today.
The difference is down to them still no luring 50 per week of my student Income.

I have challenged this as it appears they are mistakenly treating my adult's dependant grant as a nhs dependants grant. A slight difference in name but also in how they are treated in the calculation. Ie, nhs is taken over 52 wees with no disregard, adg has no specific advice so should be treated as the rest of my student income.

I will update once a final reassert is made

I didn't think you could claim the ADG if the adult was earning? Your wife's earnings are surely over the limit?

Cate1976

From this link: http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/welfare/finance/state-benefits-and-council-tax/benefits/how-income-is-calculated-for-benefit-assessments

You've already got your applicable amount.

You then need your income details for both academic year & vacation periods which it looks as though you have.

I'd suggest you double check that the 15% of childcare expenses not covered by the grant have been deducted as they should be.

You then need to check the Child Benefit, the first £10 week of your wife's earnings & if you're getting Working Tax Credits that the £17.10.

Lastly, you need to check that the correct disregards have been applied to your student income. If I've interpreted the info correctly, the student finance that's regarded should only be counted for the academic year apart from the maintenance loan which is regarded for 42/43 weeks. For this year, using the rule of HB week being Monday-Sunday & the rules in the link you posted, then it will be disregarded for the 10 weeks starting with 6th July.

I'm not sure how they disregard travel costs. The most sensible to me would be if you show proof of what you've spent, then they'll work it out.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

If they have currently calculated your student income over 52 weeks then if they have made a mistake and now correct it they could end up using a higher student income figure for the past period already paid. Divide the figure by 52 and then by 43 to see what I am getting at.