Housing benefit

FrankR

What is the max amount of housing benefit you can get while on ESA/PIP for a studio apartment at £130 per week?

How do the DWP calculate how much ESA I am entitled to if my savings is 0, my student loan about 6K?

If I move into a studio apartment, will I be eligible for the severe disability premium as I'll be living independently?

When I tell the DWP that my address has changed, and I am living independently, will they reassess my claim for ESA and PIP as a full time student and send me for a medical assessment? My PIP is due for review in April 2017, and my ESA is support group.

Could I lose my ESA benefit, but still get PIP as a full time student?

HappyMJ

£130 per week.

The actual amount you will get will vary but the maximum you can get is the rent paid in full.

If you lived in my post code DE14 the maximum you would get would be £81.58 per week. To get some more you would need to apply for discretionary housing benefit but that's unlikely to get you a further £50 per week. It's more likely to be a lot less.

BigAunty

You will find this fact sheet handy, it includes info for students with a disability

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/housing-benefit

FrankR

Well that is a coincidence as I live in DE11.

How do you know it is exactly £130 per week if you're getting £81?

How does discretionary housing benefit work and who gets it?

BigAunty

Info on SDP.

If you are single the severe disability premium (SDP) is included in your award if:

• you receive a qualifying disability benefit (Attendance Allowance, constant Attendance Allowance, the care component of Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate or Personal Independence Payment daily living component at standard or enhanced rate); and
• no-one gets paid Carer's Allowance (CA) for looking after you (if your carer is eligible for CA but does not receive anything then they do not count); and
• you have no non-dependant adults living with you (unless they are also receiving a qualifying disability benefit or are registered blind)

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/severe-disability-premium

BigAunty

FrankR wrote: »

How does discretionary housing benefit work and who gets it?

It's a random lottery and cannot be relied upon. Not everyone who applies gets it, those who do usually get it only temporarily.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Discretionary-Housing-Payment/What-is-a-Discretionary-Housing-Payment

FrankR

When I move into the studio apartment, how do I go about telling the DWP I have changed address and apply for the severe disability premium?

Can it all be done over phone, or will I need to complete a form?

HappyMJ

FrankR wrote: »

Well that is a coincidence as I live in DE11.

How do you know it is exactly £130 per week if you're getting £81?

How does discretionary housing benefit work and who gets it?

It's possible that they'll pay the rent in full. It's more likely you'll just get the LHA rate of around £81.

Discretionary housing benefit is very difficult to get. You might get it if there is no other suitable property available in your area. You also need to have no money whatsoever.

If it's a housing association property they'll always pay up to the rent charged and not base the amount of housing benefit on LHA rates.

FrankR

The flat I'm moving into is in Sheffield City Centre, right on the High Street, and it is for students, so I'm not sure if I would qualify for housing benefit?

And even if they give me the severe disability premium, will they take it off me due to my student loan, so really I am no better off and it just cancels itself out?

So I get £61 more, but then they take more off due to my loan?

FrankR

Worst thing that can happen is I tell them about my loan, and they send me for a medical reassessment due to change of address and circumstances.

Will they look into my claim this much or am I over thinking and paranoid?

HappyMJ

FrankR wrote: »

The flat I'm moving into is in Sheffield City Centre, right on the High Street, and it is for students, so I'm not sure if I would qualify for housing benefit?

And even if they give me the severe disability premium, will they take it off me due to my student loan, so really I am no better off and it just cancels itself out?

So I get £61 more, but then they take more off due to my loan?

You're on ESA and PIP so you can get HB whilst being a student.

FrankR wrote: »

Worst thing that can happen is I tell them about my loan, and they send me for a medical reassessment due to change of address and circumstances.

Will they look into my claim this much or am I over thinking and paranoid?

You're over thinking it.