Question About Council Housing

mimi1234

Is this the place to ask questions about Council Housing?

I used to work in Housing ages ago but I am sure the rules and regulations have changed since.

My cousin and her son live together. Son is now aged 17 and is moving out as he is going to University. My cousin works and pays the rent.

If her son is moving, she will have one bedroom spare. Does this mean she will have to pay a bedroom tax? Also, she contacted her Council to tell them about this and what they told her was that the house would be too big for her and they would move her into a one bedroom flat. The house is supposed to be a family dwelling and will be too big for her. Is this correct?

If she pays the rent in full, can they literally boot her out and put her somewhere else? She said she would prefer to stay where she is but if she has to be moved, then she won't have a choice.

Back when I worked in Housing, they would have one person living in a three or four bedroomed house and they were never moved on. Are rules different if someone is on benefits as opposed to working and paying rent?

sniggings

it really depends on her lease agreement, each area has different rules, there is not a one rule fits all answer.

As for the bedroom tax, then yes if receiving housing benefit then they will take 14% for 1 extra bedroom or I think it is 24% for more than 1 extra bedroom.

There maybe help available with the tax, again depending where she lives, worth looking into.

Argghhh

a lot of tenancy agreements have been changed in recent years, so if she has not got an old tenancy, the new one may state that they can move her out of the house and into a one bed. Bedroom tax is only applicable is she receives housing benefits. If i was her i would tell the council that the son has decided to commute to university and stay at home. It will mean not getting the single person discount for the council tax but she will be able to stay where she is

Old_Git

if the son is going to university then he will need a room when he comes home .

gazter

mimi1234 wrote: »

Is this the place to ask questions about Council Housing?

I used to work in Housing ages ago but I am sure the rules and regulations have changed since.

My cousin and her son live together. Son is now aged 17 and is moving out as he is going to University. My cousin works and pays the rent.

If her son is moving, she will have one bedroom spare. Does this mean she will have to pay a bedroom tax? Also, she contacted her Council to tell them about this and what they told her was that the house would be too big for her and they would move her into a one bedroom flat. The house is supposed to be a family dwelling and will be too big for her. Is this correct?

If she pays the rent in full, can they literally boot her out and put her somewhere else? She said she would prefer to stay where she is but if she has to be moved, then she won't have a choice.

Back when I worked in Housing, they would have one person living in a three or four bedroomed house and they were never moved on. Are rules different if someone is on benefits as opposed to working and paying rent?

A reduction in benefit is not a tax.

mimi1234

I see. So rules have changed since I worked for Housing ages ago. Like I said, there was often just one person living in a three or four bedroomed house.

Unsure about any benefits for her rent. I think she pays it in full, but I can't say for certain.

We will look through her agreement and see what it says.

Thanks for your kind and swift advice guys.

sniggings

gazter wrote: »

A reduction in benefit is not a tax.

The Tories knew when they bought in this law, that over 90% of those that it affected wouldn't or were unable to move, so for all intents and purposes it's a tax...oh and a tax that affect mostly disabled people.

xylophone

http://www.estuary.co.uk/bedroom-tax


"There are special rules where an extra bedroom may be allowed - these are:............

If a son or daughter who normally lives with you is away at college / university, they retain their bedroom whilst away from home, so long as they intend to return (and do return) within 52 weeks (Housing Benefit) or 6 months (Universal Credit)."

It would be worth your cousin's checking this out with her local council?

[Deleted User]

Be aware that Housing don't always tell what is strictly honest.

I believe that whether she can be moved or not will depend on the type of tenancy she has (how long ago she signed for the property).., and then there's the previous post.

Don't take what the council Housing Department say as gospel. Check what they say out (as you are doing, continue to do this).

Shelter might be able to advise.

Old_Git

SHELTER
Young people and students
A child is usually counted as living in the home of the person who receives their child benefit.

A maximum of one extra room is allowed for approved foster carers who foster a child or children. You can keep the room allowance for an empty room set aside for a foster child if you became an approved foster carer or have fostered a child in the last 12 months.

An adopted child or children is counted for the room allowance once an adoption order is made.

For students away from home, a room is counted providing they are away for less than 52 weeks and intend to return home.

Feral_Moon

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but I was wondering if any of you guys know what the current situation is regarding an adult child in the Armed Forces? I seem to recall they also fell into an exempt category but then remember reading some time ago that the government had done a U-turn on this?