Housing Benefit/LHA help

PurpleBlanket1989

Hi there, looking for some help. Not entirely sure how to explain the situation properly so please bear with me and ask for clarification if anything doesn't make sense!

I'm 29 and desperately looking to move out of my parents house for a bit of independence. I claim income support and will be entitled to housing benefit. I've used the LHA calculator and as I am single and under 35 I would only be entitled to the shared accommodation rate of LHA which in my area is around £80 per week. Aside from the fact this wouldn't cover the cost of a shared accommodation anyway, I'm diagnosed with all kinds of anxiety and depression disorders and couldn't cope sharing a house with strangers and I couldn't afford the additional money i'd have to had towards it to rent a studio or a 1 bed.

Now my question is this. My brother is also in the same situation and looking to move out, he's 35. I'd be happy to live with him as I regularly need help mental help anyway. If I were to move out with him, could I name him on my housing benefit application as a non-dependent thus entitling me to a 2 bed rate of LHA as we'd require 2 bedroom? This is somewhere in the region of £160 per week. He works so I would be deducted some of the housing benefit, but a 2 bed rate with deductions would still come to more per week than the £80 shared accommodation rate on my own.

Or would we have to take on a place where we are both named on the tenancy and then I claim housing benefit solo and only receive the Shared accommodation rate.

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks

tboo

PurpleBlanket1989 wrote: »

Hi there, looking for some help. Not entirely sure how to explain the situation properly so please bear with me and ask for clarification if anything doesn't make sense!

I'm 29 and desperately looking to move out of my parents house for a bit of independence. I claim income support and will be entitled to housing benefit. I've used the LHA calculator and as I am single and under 35 I would only be entitled to the shared accommodation rate of LHA which in my area is around £80 per week. Aside from the fact this wouldn't cover the cost of a shared accommodation anyway, I'm diagnosed with all kinds of anxiety and depression disorders and couldn't cope sharing a house with strangers and I couldn't afford the additional money i'd have to had towards it to rent a studio or a 1 bed.

Now my question is this. My brother is also in the same situation and looking to move out, he's 35. I'd be happy to live with him as I regularly need help mental help anyway. If I were to move out with him, could I name him on my housing benefit application as a non-dependent thus entitling me to a 2 bed rate of LHA as we'd require 2 bedroom? This is somewhere in the region of £160 per week. He works so I would be deducted some of the housing benefit, but a 2 bed rate with deductions would still come to more per week than the £80 shared accommodation rate on my own.

Or would we have to take on a place where we are both named on the tenancy and then I claim housing benefit solo and only receive the Shared accommodation rate.

Hope this makes sense!

Thanks

I very much doubt a landlord/letting agent would give you – on benefits and under 35 – a sole tenancy especially if you then produce a working sibling.


The likely scenario would be a joint tenancy so they – the landlord etc. can pursue either of the named tenants for arrears – if this occurs.


Thus I believe you will be entitled to the shared room rate.


Want is the rent amounts you are looking at?






If you do obtain a sole tenancy with your sibling as a non-dependant – what does he earn, gross not net?

pmlindyloo

First of all I am not sure why you are claiming Income Support. Under what criteria are you claiming IS?

It might be difficult for you to find private accommodation under your circumstances.

Can your brother afford two bed private accommodation that you could share? This could be difficult for him as you would be unable to claim HB if you lived with your brother so would have to make a contribution from your Income Support - difficult.

The other option is to see whether you are eligible for PIP. If you received any part of the daily living component then you would be entitled to the one bed LHA rate for private accommodation.

If you are not eligible for PIP then you may be eligible for a discretionary housing payment to help with rent.

However, your main difficulty is finding accommodation when on benefits.

Have you tried getting some help from the council as to your options?

Ames

Are you sure it would be housing benefit and not universal credit? If you're in a full service universal credit area then it could affect your income support.

As pmlindyloo said, if you're claiming PIP then the rules for you are different.