Financial aid from from family & benefits

calcotti

Woodstock777 wrote: »

.... they told me the that Council Tax and Housing benefit could only be paid on one of my properties, not both.

It appears that hbenefit can sometimes be paid for up to four weeks on two properties if you can demonstrate that you had no choice.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/housing_benefit_for_two_homes

If you have to pay rent for 2 homes

If you’ve moved into your new home, you can sometimes get housing benefit paid for both your old and new home for up to 4 weeks.

You must show that you couldn’t avoid an overlap between the end of your old tenancy and the start of your new one.

For example, you had to:

accept the tenancy at your new home immediately, but still had to give notice to end the tenancy at your old home. This means you have to pay rent on 2 places until your old tenancy ends
move out of a home that's been damaged by fire or flood but still have to pay rent and give notice to the landlord you're leaving.

If you are short of money focus on paying any rent shortfall on your new property rather than any arrears on your old one.

Loz01

Yes you can get an overlap/paying HB on two properties form which will cover you if you've had to take on a new property without delay (ie if they offered it to you and said it you didn't take it there and then you would lose it) whilst still being liable for rent on the old property because of a notice period. Ask your local councils benefits department for such a form.