Housing Benefit is means tested - Does it Qualify for the £650

trufflehunt

I'm a pensioner, with just the state pension, and I receive housing benefit to help with the rent on my bedsit/studio flat.

I receive the housing benefit through my local council, and see no mention of housing benefit on the list of DWP means tested benefits that the government says qualify for the £650 cost of living payment.

Do I qualify, or.... ?

calcotti

No, Housing Benefit does not qualify you.
You will get the £400 on your fuel bill and the extra £300 winter fuel payment.

trufflehunt

calcotti said:

No, Housing Benefit does not qualify you.

Thank you.

Source ?

Spoonie_Turtle

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-living-support/cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26-may-2022

" … receiving the following benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Pension Credit"

calcotti

trufflehunt said:

calcotti said:

No, Housing Benefit does not qualify you.

Thank you.

Source ?

Because, as you say yourself in your opening post, it isn't listed as a benefit that does qualify you.

It is unfair because there will be people who will get the payment through UC even though their UC entitlement may arise solely through the housing element. However all the qualifying benefits are DWP benefits and Housing Benefit is not and it may have been decided not to include it for that reason.

murphyslaw2020

Think you are in the same predicament as contribution ESA, penalised for working full time and paying NI contributions.

poppy12345

murphyslaw2020 said:

Think you are in the same predicament as contribution ESA, penalised for working full time and paying NI contributions.

Not really. Lots of people will be claiming their state pension and not worked and paid their NI contributions. Those on state pension will only receive the extra £650 if they claim pension credit. Unless it's a mixed aged couple and they're both claiming UC.

OP will be entitled to the £300 on top of the winter fuel payment and also the £400 for their energy bills.

OhWow

It does seem unfair that those on Universal Credit , which is for those of working age, are given £650, while the pensioners who worked and have the full state pension, can only have £300.

OhWow

poppy12345 said:

murphyslaw2020 said:

Think you are in the same predicament as contribution ESA, penalised for working full time and paying NI contributions.

Not really. Lots of people will be claiming their state pension and not worked and paid their NI contributions. Those on state pension will only receive the extra £650 if they claim pension credit. Unless it's a mixed aged couple and they're both claiming UC.

OP will be entitled to the £300 on top of the winter fuel payment and also the £400 for their energy bills.

Do those on Universal Credit get the £400 towards their energy costs too, as well as the £650 for being on Universal Credit? And the £150 via the councils?

calcotti

OhWow said:. 

Do those on Universal Credit get the £400 towards their energy costs too, as well as the £650 for being on Universal Credit? And the £150 via the councils?

Yes they do (and the extra £150 if they’ve also get a disability benefit).

OhWow

calcotti said:

OhWow said:. 

Do those on Universal Credit get the £400 towards their energy costs too, as well as the £650 for being on Universal Credit? And the £150 via the councils?

Yes they do (and the extra £150 if they’ve also get a disability benefit).

Then this makes no sense at all! What a strange system.It's obvious that those on a state pension should have the £650 and those of working age getting the £650, should have £200 (claiming an extra £150 each if they have a disabilty, as well as the £400 for energy and £150 via the council).