Universal Credit & Rent Issues

poppy12345

As she's claiming UC then there's a non dependant deduction of £77.87/month. Unless she's claiming either PIP daily living or DLA mid/high rate care.

You are still better off by living with her than living by yourself. If you lived by yourself you would be responsible for all of your bils, which would leave you with even less money than you have now. In fact, you wouldn't have enough money to cover all your bills.

Anyway, this really isn't a benefits issue and this part of the forum is about help with benefits entitlement.

You need to speak to your mother.

Robbie64

The only part of your questions we can help you with in this forum has already been addressed. As you are a non-dependent and living in your mother's house her UC is being reduced by £77.83 per month by what is called a Non-dependant's housing cost contribution. If you weren't living there she would not have this deduction in place. Whether or not you wish to pay this amount to your mother is something you need to sort out with your mother. Any additional amount your mother asks you to pay (to meet the cost of gas, electricity etc) is outside the scope of the forum.

What I can add is that many years ago (and we are talking back to the 1980s here) the benefit system recognised that non-dependants needed to contribute to rent and other housing costs by paying to recipients aged 18+ who were claiming a means tested benefit an amount of money called a Non-Householder Addition which was paid on top of basic benefit. Since that payment ended in 1988 there's been no replacement payment which allows someone to receive an additional amount of money when living as a non-dependant.

calcotti

Robbie, didn’t know about the non householder addition (predates my knowledge). Have always found it odd (ridiculous) that non dependants are expected to contribute but cannot get help with paying that contribution.

Robbie64

calcotti said:

Robbie, didn’t know about the non householder addition (predates my knowledge). Have always found it odd (ridiculous) that non dependants are expected to contribute but cannot get help with paying that contribution.

It was under the old Supplementary Benefit system, which was replaced by Income Support in April 1988. The Non-Householder Addition used to be paid at the same rate as the lowest non-dependant deduction amount under Housing Benefit. In the immediate years prior to the abolition of SuppBen, the age at which the addition was paid rose from 18 to 21 to 24 with a corresponding increase in the age at which a non-dependant deduction was made under HB for someone in receipt of SuppBen.

When IS was introduced in 1988 the age for which a non-dependant deduction was made (for someone in receipt of IS) increased to 25, which matched the age at which IS increased for single people. This age remained under JSA and ESA too. However UC has for some reason reduced it down to 21 for a non-dependant in receipt of means tested benefits. The other side of this though is that it's also 21 for anyone in work and regardless of earnings of the non-dependant. It's also at a lower level than HB for almost most non-dependants who are working.

calcotti

Robbie64 said: It's also at a lower level than HB for almost most non-dependants who are working. 

which has been a huge improvement.