Local housing allowance

BriNylon

I let out one of my properties to a single parent who has her rent paid.  Her child has complex disabilities which mean that she wants to be beside her parents a and to have easier access to various facilities.  The rent exceeds the LHA.  
Is there any flexibility with the Local Authority.  Eg can she argue that his needs are not being met at the level of the LHA, meaning she could get an increased level of housing benefit?

gbhxu

NO, you just lower the rent.

marcia_

 No, she needs to find somewhere cheaper or pay the extra herself. 

BriNylon

I have just read up on Discretionary Housing Payments which is available if the allowance does not cover the full rent.  Does anyone have any experience with that?

marcia_

 Yes i apply on for a family member every 6 months. In our council they wont award for more. I need to send her proof of benefits and expenditure. And reasons why she cant look at moving house. Shes never awarded the full amount and still needs to make payment towards her rent. 

BriNylon

gbhxu said:

NO, you just lower the rent.

Or you could pay it for her?

BriNylon

Presumably there are some sort of guidelines that the awarding officer must follow?  Any idea how I could find out for her?

Spoonie_Turtle

BriNylon said:

Presumably there are some sort of guidelines that the awarding officer must follow?  Any idea how I could find out for her?

Search for your local council's DHP policy.  If you can't find it online, you could contact them and ask - I have no idea if it's information they freely give out to the public but worth a try anyway.  [I found our council's policy online.]

deannagone

When I was renting privately and HLA didn't cover all the rent, I just paid the extra out of the DLA I received for my special needs son who needed to stay in the same area because support services were provided in that area.  I just took it for granted that that was what I needed to do I only received HLA for a 2 bed place and was renting a 3 bed place as my older son needed a bedroom of his own due to being autistic and not sleeping well.  The council would not allow for this need, no matter what I said and even delayed HLA being increased when he turned 16 by only allowing changes to occur once a year in a specified month.  But I was able to cover the extra rent I needed to pay with the extra benefits I received for his care.  It left us short of money for day to day expenses but him having his own room was more important.

poppy12345

deannagone said:

even delayed HLA being increased when he turned 16 by only allowing changes to occur once a year in a specified month.

That doesn't sound right at all. You should have been entitled to the extra bedroom from their 16th birthday. These are national rules and not for a LA to make their own rules on when they pay the extra amount. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Calculating-Your-Bedroom-Entitlement I would be challenging that decision.