Housing Benefit & Fair Rent Decision questions & help please

g4fne

Now sorted

g4fne

up she goes

NCS_2

I suggest you write to the HB section and ask them to explain to you how the Rent officers decision (ROD) was made. Did it include your Stepdaughter? If not - then they made a mistake when they referred the rent and they will have to send it back to the Rent officer.
When the new ROD comes back - if it is lower there will be an overpaid amount - they should n't really recover the overpayment from you. If they do then I would advise you to immediately write back and say you wish to appeal their decision to recover as it is clearly their fault!
Of course if you do nothing you may be better off but at some point they may discover the error - through an accuracy check etc - so you may be asked to pay back even more - although I would always appeal the decision as above!

Regarding the need for 2 bedrooms and your shortfall in rent - HB and the Rent Officer don't allow for this... However every council has a pot of money called Discretionary Housing Payment - and they will have an officer or a small team who allocate payments from this. It comes from the govt. and any unspent goes back to them - so they are usually keen to spend it! it is usually paid with your HB - but for a limited time -

Ring or write and ask for a DHP application form - they will look at your income and outgoings ( in a different way to the calculation of HB) but they should also make a decision based on circumstances and unfortunately you have a difficult situation to cope with - but this should get you more points towards a DHP!! If necessary put a letter in with your application and go into a much detail as you are prepared to give. And remember even if it stops at the end of the year they get a new pot each year - so just reapply.
Good luck!

g4fne

Many thanks for the response NCS

suelees1

I agree with NCS and also want to say that if you need the other room for reasons to do with disability then they should pay the same as they did before as it's not exactly a 'spare' room