Housing Benfit-Rent Officer decision VS Local H Allowance(LHA) Housing Ben' Officer?

gemmaking

The forum member, 'Housing Benefit Officer' would be appreciated to answer this question (aswell as other members). Cheers.


This is basically asking for the procedure to change an existing tenants housing benefit award from the rent officers decision award to the local housing allowance' award.

What is the procedure? Here are some details:


If for years a housing benefit claimant has been getting housing benefit payments from the borough which covers slightly less than the amount of rent they have to pay the landlord,

Eg, if rent is £500 a month, then the housing benefit give £400 a month (leaving the tenant to pay an additional £100 from their pocket)

and this is under the 'Rent Officer decision' (the old scheme), and the tenant has been on this for many years.


Then when checking the Local housing allowance rate, to be higher than £500 (lets say £550 is the LHA rate of that above property)


Then what is the procedure to change this Housing benifit award from the rate, 'rent officer decision/amount (of £400) to the 'Local Housing Allowance' (of £550)

so under the LHA which is £550, then they can give £500 to pay the full rent
(lets assume the other variables and factors will allow entitlement for the £500 rent, under the LHA)

so just mainly asking about the procedure to change the rent officer decision rent, and apply for a LHA application rate (so the housing benefit given matches the rent, and the tenant has to pay no top up out of their own pocket)


What is the procedure?
Close the existing claim, and apply for a new claim?

Write in, to tell the council/borough that they wish to change their rate/process from the Rent officer decision to the LHA?

or would this existing rent officer decision/claim have to be closed, and a new application made for the LHA?

on the application form, would it have to be stated "can you do this application with the local housing allowance, method"

or would they do that automatically?


or they could still consider leaving it at the Rent officer decision rate..? If so, why would they leave it at this rate, (and not change it to the local housing allowance ??


ALSO- the new landlord tenancy is renewed every year! and is up for renewal in a few months.
(the new rent amount on this new tenancy, will be the same as last year), but it will be a fresh contract.

Is it best to wait for this new tenancy contract? and hand new tenancy to the housing benefit office, and do the plan/steps you suggest?

elmer

They have to cancel their claim for a week, and the make a new claim, you need to bear in mind they will lose a weeks benefit and there may be a delay in processing. So a further gap in their benefit being paid.

elmer

Housing_Benefit_Officer

1) How old are they.

2) How many people in the household and who are they (partner, children - what ages etc).

3) How long have they claimed Housing Benefit.

4) What type of property are they renting (i.e. 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom etc - caravan, houseboat, flat, house etc).

5) Does their rent include and charges such as utilities, water rates etc. If so how much.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

elmer wrote: »

They have to cancel their claim for a week, and the make a new claim, you need to bear in mind they will lose a weeks benefit and there may be a delay in processing. So a further gap in their benefit being paid.

elmer

Not that simple. There are certain protections for old scheme claims to prevent them becoming LHA claims so there could be breaks of between 4 weeks and 52 weeks and any new claim would still be an old scheme claim. Normally old scheme claimants are substantially better of than LHA claimants as the ways the rents are calculated are different. However if a large family lives in a small property their LHA rate would be much higher than the old scheme HB rate they could get on the same property.

Also pensioners claims are automatically backdated for 3 months and if they were previously an old scheme claim and claimed within that 3 months their claim would continue as an old scheme claim.

elmer

Sorry HBO, I was on my hols and just posted a brief reply, without the full details and exceptions

I will try harder next time honest

elmer