Housing benefit levels for pensioners

Murphybear

Hi

as I’ve explained before I live in sheltered housing with 32 others most of whom do not use computers and struggle with the welfare system.

one of our tenants wants to move to a different property.  Their rentals are eye wateringly high.  I know that LHA rates don’t apply to pensioners in social housing but I can’t find out if there is a maximum amount that can be claimed.  The person is paying just under £700 for a one bedroomed flat including compulsory service charge and the properties they are looking at in a similar part of the country are nearly £1700 a month including service charge but nothing else such as heating.  Most of their current rent is paid by housing benefit.

I would like to know if a council would pay that amount to a single person with no disabilities in the South West.  I have put the details into benefit checkers and the results suggest they would.  

Unfortunately I had a problem helping another tenant when the benefit checkers said “yes” but the DWP said “no”.  I’ve had a similar problem myself

I hope this is clear and thanks for reading.

Our local Citizens Advice is recruiting advisers and I am hoping to join them, I understand the training can take a year 

Silvertabby

Is the new property also social/sheltered housing or private?

I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that housing benefit would be capped at the local social/sheltered housing applicable rate, and that anyone who wanted bigger/posher/private retirement village would have to fund the difference themselves.

Which leads us to a paradox... if someone has enough income to be able to afford to pay the £1K per month difference, then would they be entitled to means tested housing benefit in the first place? 

sheramber

Age UK have a fact sheet available on their website.

Unless your friend is in receipt of pension Credit Guarantee credit, if he is eligible for HB ,  he would be due the local LHA rate for the council he wishes to move to.

You can search for the local rates here  https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

poppy12345

sheramber said:

Age UK have a fact sheet available on their website.

Unless your friend is in receipt of pension Credit Guarantee credit, if he is eligible for HB ,  he would be due the local LHA rate for the council he wishes to move to.

You can search for the local rates here  https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

LHA applies to those that privately rent, not for those living in social housing.

HillStreetBlues

sheramber said:

Age UK have a fact sheet available on their website.

Unless your friend is in receipt of pension Credit Guarantee credit, if he is eligible for HB ,  he would be due the local LHA rate for the council he wishes to move to.

You can search for the local rates here  https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

AFAIK  LHA isn't used in social housing

HillStreetBlues

Murphybear said:

Hi

as I’ve explained before I live in sheltered housing with 32 others most of whom do not use computers and struggle with the welfare system.

one of our tenants wants to move to a different property.  Their rentals are eye wateringly high.  I know that LHA rates don’t apply to pensioners in social housing but I can’t find out if there is a maximum amount that can be claimed.  The person is paying just under £700 for a one bedroomed flat including compulsory service charge and the properties they are looking at in a similar part of the country are nearly £1700 a month including service charge but nothing else such as heating.  Most of their current rent is paid by housing benefit.

I would like to know if a council would pay that amount to a single person with no disabilities in the South West.  I have put the details into benefit checkers and the results suggest they would.  

Unfortunately I had a problem helping another tenant when the benefit checkers said “yes” but the DWP said “no”.  I’ve had a similar problem myself

I hope this is clear and thanks for reading.

Our local Citizens Advice is recruiting advisers and I am hoping to join them, I understand the training can take a year 

Best to find out how it's broken down (rent & SC)  and then the breakdown of the SC.

Murphybear

Thanks everyone.  I’m familiar with the rules of LHA which are quite clear but I couldn’t find anything equivalent for social housing.  

Murphybear

I’m pleased to say that I have been accepted for training in our local Citizens Advice.  It takes a year to be fully trained but it is thorough.

it seems my colleague wanted to move because she had a falling out with 2 of the other tenants.  I have smoothed it over and she is going to stay.  You wouldn’t believe some of the issues us “oldies” have.  

HillStreetBlues

Murphybear said:

I’m pleased to say that I have been accepted for training in our local Citizens Advice.  It takes a year to be fully trained but it is thorough.

Good luck

Murphybear

HillStreetBlues said:

Murphybear said:

I’m pleased to say that I have been accepted for training in our local Citizens Advice.  It takes a year to be fully trained but it is thorough.

Good luck

Thank you.  I was supposed to be doing it a while ago but Covid got in the way and all the training programmes were cancelled.