Child at Uni and Severe Disability payments

Carlia

Hello

I have a child about to go to university, I understand that she is now a non-dependant even though I pay for everything I did anyway. But council are saying our housing benefit has reduced by £75 a week because we are now no longer entitled to Severe Disability entitlement as we have a non-dependant in the house? I don't see why this would mean I no longer need help as she is not my carer? Does anyone know what this is about? :eek:

poppy12345

Carlia wrote: »

Hello

I have a child about to go to university, I understand that she is now a non-dependant even though I pay for everything I did anyway. But council are saying our housing benefit has reduced by £75 a week because we are now no longer entitled to Severe Disability entitlement as we have a non-dependant in the house? I don't see why this would mean I no longer need help as she is not my carer? Does anyone know what this is about? :eek:

If you're claiming DLA care or daily living PIP then non dependant deductions don't apply to you.
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/housing_benefit/housing_benefit_deductions_when_living_with_non-dependants

On another note, why do you still have to pay for everything? Your son/daughter should be claiming a student loan for help with uni and they can also work part time alongside uni as most students have to do this. They can they pay you for their keep.

pmlindyloo

Carlia wrote: »

Hello

I have a child about to go to university, I understand that she is now a non-dependant even though I pay for everything I did anyway. But council are saying our housing benefit has reduced by £75 a week because we are now no longer entitled to Severe Disability entitlement as we have a non-dependant in the house? I don't see why this would mean I no longer need help as she is not my carer? Does anyone know what this is about? :eek:

I would be interested in other people's views on this.

My understanding is that it is because you now have a non dependent living in the house which means you are no longer entitled to the severe disability premiums as part of your HB claim.
The criteria for receiving the SDP is you receive a qualifying benefit - standard/high rare daily living PIP/or mid rate/high rate DLA, no one receives Carer's Allowance for you and you have no non dependents living with you unless they also receive a qualifying benefit.

If your daughter is going to be living away from home and has a tenancy agreement in her own name then you could argue that she is no longer resident with you.

This would be investigated to see if she could be classed as resident with you and just temporarily living away from home - keeping most of her things at home, returning home for vacations and intending returning home at end of uni. for example or whether she was no longer resident.

Unfortunately if you went down this route and were successful then you would not be allowed a bedroom allowance for her in your HB calculation. At the moment you usually would be allowed a bedroom for your daughter if she was away at university.

I don't know what your circumstances are, how many people who live in the house, their ages etc and how many bedrooms you do have at the moment so can't comment whether the reduction in bedroom allowance would apply.

Would you mind sharing the house situation and where your daughter intends to live when she goes to uni.?

Carlia

Hiya she is in a full time at degree and is at uni 9-5 everyday so no time for a job with assignments etc unfortunately.

poppy12345

Ah now I understand the question, sorry for the link I posted as I misunderstood the question.

I had this exact problem when my daughter left home for uni a couple of years ago. She had her own tenancy agreement, so hardly came home. As I was living in social housing house at the time, I kept the SDP but ended up having to pay bedroom tax because you can't have it both ways.

poppy12345

Carlia wrote: »

Hiya she is in a full time at degree and is at uni 9-5 everyday so no time for a job with assignments etc unfortunately.

If she still lives at home then you won't be entitled to SDP. Not enough info to be able to help.

Carlia

Hi She is going to a local Uni so no change in her address. there are 5 of us in a 3 bedroom home

poppy12345

Carlia wrote: »

Hi She is going to a local Uni so no change in her address. there are 5 of us in a 3 bedroom home

Is that adults or children besides yourself? What benefits do you claim? Are you talking about non dependant deductions for housing benefit or severe disability premium?

Carlia

Do you know what the SDP is for? it seems strange that even though my circumstances haven't changed we are now expected for find an extra £300 a month because of this, just trying to get my head around it x

Carlia

poppy12345 wrote: »

Is that adults or children besides yourself? What benefits do you claim? Are you talking about non dependant deductions for housing benefit or severe disability premium?

Well both I think. We are now seen differently because she is going to uni so doesnt get a dependant payment. And we are also have our SDP removed because she is a non dependant. But we are still paying for food clothing heat etc

We have two adults, myself and my husband. MY daughter @ uni and two dependant children a boy and a girl

poppy12345

SDP is a premium paid on top of Income Related ESA/JSA or Income Support and is paid if you live alone, or classed as living alone and no one claims carers allowance for looking after you. You must also be claiming a qualify benefit such as DLA mid/high rate or daily living PIP or attendance allowance. Non dependant deductions for housing benefit it different.
If you can tell us what benefits you're both claiming then we could help you further, without knowing this we'll just be going round in circles while we have the information in drips and drabs.


Edit to add, if you and your partner are both receiving a qualifying benefit like DLA/PIP then SDP can also be paid under these circumstances.