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Sitting/Protected Tenancy - Housing benefit
bearinthewoods
Posts: 6 Forumite
Hi all,
My mother is a retired pensioner and a sitting/protected (not quite sure which term is accurate here, if not both) tenant for over 40 years in a 2 bed flat which is privately owned here in London. She's been on full housing benefit for most of that period which I'm fairly sure is renewed yearly.
My sister (i assume co-dependent is the term here?) has been living and paying rent for one of the bedrooms, a single - which I believe is via reductions in housing benefit - but has announced she is moving in with her fiance. I'm very worried that this will mean a re-application of housing benefit with the danger of Mum having to move out because of the upcoming vacant, single room.
Is that a possibility and if so, how likely? Is there anything that could be done to help Mum stay at the flat?
Any recommendations for where to seek advice welcome.
Many thanks in advance.
My mother is a retired pensioner and a sitting/protected (not quite sure which term is accurate here, if not both) tenant for over 40 years in a 2 bed flat which is privately owned here in London. She's been on full housing benefit for most of that period which I'm fairly sure is renewed yearly.
My sister (i assume co-dependent is the term here?) has been living and paying rent for one of the bedrooms, a single - which I believe is via reductions in housing benefit - but has announced she is moving in with her fiance. I'm very worried that this will mean a re-application of housing benefit with the danger of Mum having to move out because of the upcoming vacant, single room.
Is that a possibility and if so, how likely? Is there anything that could be done to help Mum stay at the flat?
Any recommendations for where to seek advice welcome.
Many thanks in advance.
0
Comments
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I am clearly living in a bubble! Bedroom tax I believe is the culprit here. 11% per week of rent looks like the likely outcome if I'm not mistaken.0
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Is your mother in Social Housing (Council/housing association) or does she rent privately?0
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The council pay the private landlords. I've seen the statements/transactions....0
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Her family cover any shortfall in her rent?bearinthewoods wrote: »I'm very worried that this will mean a re-application of housing benefit with the danger of Mum having to move out because of the upcoming vacant, single room.
Is that a possibility and if so, how likely? Is there anything that could be done to help Mum stay at the flat?0 -
Bedroom Tax only affects social housing, and even then it doesn't affect Pensioners.bearinthewoods wrote: »I am clearly living in a bubble! Bedroom tax I believe is the culprit here. 11% per week of rent looks like the likely outcome if I'm not mistaken.
The LHA (Local Housing Allowance - the rent assistance available for private renting) might only be applicable for one bedroom though, in which case your mum (or other family members) will have to make up the shortfall, if her rent is above the LHA rate for one bedroom.(AKA HRH_MUngo)
Member #10 of £2 savers club
Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds, and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology: Terry Eagleton0 -
Local Housing Allowance is set according to prevailing rents for the local authority's area. ( It's actually set on the 30th percentile for the range of all rents for a property of that size)
If your sister moved out, the LHA would be gauged for Mum only presumably at the one bedroom rate.
However, Mum has been privately renting the same place for 40+ years, so she must have a regulated tenancy with a regulated rent which will be very low in comparison to market rents for the area.
To find out the local rate of the LHA for her, go to
https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk>search
and put in the postcode of the property.0
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