Housing Benefit and income from parents

cattmull

Hi everyone

I am applying for housing benefit as due to illness i can only work part time. i am on a low income and should be eligable.

However last year i took out a car loan and rapidly found out that i couldn't afford it so my dad puts money into my bank account monthly to cover the amount of the loan. The money comes straight out again and is used solely to pay the loan......will this be counted as income?

Thanks

Cat

Ted_Hutchinson

If it appears as a regular monthly payment into your account it will be difficult for you not to show it isn't "income" It would be much easier if the payments were directly to the loan provider.
At [size=+1]uk.gov.social-security there are some Housing Benefit officers who regularly reply to such queries and who will be able to say exactly how they would regard such payments.

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cattmull

Thanks guys

I was having a wee look online and found some info....whadya think?

Under schedule 4 of the Housing benefit regulations it states that "sums to be disregarded in the calculation of income other than earnings" include "any charitable or voluntary payment made (to applicant)....at regular intervals which is intended for an item other than food, household fuel, rent or ordinary clothing or footwear..."

My dad's payment is solely for paying my car loan, is regular and is voluntary....

So i'm thinking it should be disregarded totally?....i hope anyway!

Ted_Hutchinson

I'd still check it with Antonyberet at uk.gov.social-security or one of the others there.

cattmull

Thanks Ted

Posted a message to that forum earlier and the general consensus is no one is sure! Anthony said that i may have it counted initially and then have to appeal. Am seeing them tomorrow so will let you know what they say,


Catt

cattmull

Well, i got my decision and the money from my dad has been totaly disregarded under the regulation i mentioned....however they only backdated it for 11 months...(i was told by their office 19 months ago that i wasn't entitled to anything, when in fact i should have been getting around £30 a week).

Can i appeal for them to backdate it to when they told me the wrong info?

Thanks for all advice :T


Catt

Ted_Hutchinson

I would have thought so. It will depend if you or they have a record of your having asked, but once again asking someone who is in daily contact with these processes will get you more informed advice so post back to Anthonyberet on uk.gov.social-security.

dag_2

I'd be very surprised if housing benefit don't have allowances or exclusions for movements of small amounts of money within the family - as well as charitable and voluntary payments generally.

Course - it's only a regular payment because you're calling it a regular payment. Can't you think of each individual payment as being a one-off? After all - as you've already said, it's totally voluntary, and there's nothing guaranteeing that you're ever going to receive another payment.

Hope that helps.

camper

If payments go into bank account, that shows how regular they are.

And evidence will be asked for!

Anyway bank statements for the past two/three months are usually asked for, so difficult to show not regular when it shows on them.