Any support for out of work freelancer subletting with no contract?

Glasseye

Hello,
My friends rent a property and sublet a room to me so it's affordable. Thus I'm not on the contract.
Does that mean there's no support for me as a freelancer losing all my work in this pandemic?

Universal Credit application form is asking where I live. I have a workspace where I also rent a desk, but my bedroom is by far my biggest expense, which I guess wouldn't be recognised in any benefits (if my application was even accepted at all?)

Thank you for any advice.

Glasseye

From the Universal Credit application form:

Where do you live now?

I rent from a council or housing association

I rent from a private landlord

I live in a property I own (with or without a mortgage)

I rent-buy through a shared ownership scheme

I'm in temporary accommodation

I'm in supported or sheltered accommodation

I live with close relatives - for example, my parents or my partner's parents
I'm in another type of housing

unforeseen

They are not subletting. You are a lodger

calcotti

If you are a lodger you should have a rental agreement with them and would be able to get help with the cost of that through the housing element. I realise that if it’s a friend it may be an informal arrangement but without a tenancy agreement you cannot get help. 

[Deleted User]

Can you give them circumstantial evidence, for example edited bank statements showing monthly transfers for rent?  Same amount going out on the last day of the month.  And maybe some private emails or WhatsApp with your friend, aka your landlord, that refer to the set-up.   Tenancy and lodger agreements don't have to be written down, they can be verbal.  You just need to be able to prove it.   It will also help if you can show that for example your mobile phone is registered to this address.

Glasseye

Thank you.
So it's a family house (no HMO licence) so only 2 people on the contract, but subletting(?) to me, so I'm scared of getting them or me in trouble. The agent doesn't know about me living there. If I left, the rent would be difficult for the other 2 to afford. I also don't know where I'd go if I left there.

[Deleted User]

I don't think anybody will get into trouble.   Just make your claim.