UC Service charge housing costs with net zero income

moncronk

Hiya,

I wondered if anyone had experience with this matter.

My partner and I are both disabled, I was working as a videographer before my health took a turn for the worse. I still make a small amount of sporadic income renting out my camera equipment, but overall with expenses such as the cost of insuring my kit, my income is net zero (in fact, it's negative).

I challenged this as UC refused to pay the service charge on my flat which is about 2 grand a year now. After a mandatory consideration, they recognised that my income was negative, but still refused to help as I 'have not been receiving UC continuously for 9 assessment periods with no income'.

Is it worth taking this further or is it just strict bureaucracy with the way the system is set up that it won't be possible to fight?

I find it crazy that if I was renting, UC would happily pay out 1400 a month to a private landlord, but they won't help me with a service charge that is 10% of that annually, payment of which is essential to keep us housed. It would certainly cost a lot less to just stop doing those small bits of work entirely, but I find doing them beneficial to my health and self worth.

Also considering trying to 'game' the system in that way makes me feel awful. I'm trying to get well, not close off, but our benefit income is small and paying 200 quid a month in service charge arrears really takes a huge chunk out of it.

Thanks in advance. 

Muttleythefrog

"'have not been receiving UC continuously for 9 assessment periods with no income'" seems correct and is going to be something you seemingly can't get beyond without changed circumstances. If they did one day help with SC due to earnings issue resolved and waiting period... they will not pay buildings insurance communal fee which can be a significant chunk of service charge and some other items that may or may not be applicable in your set up. We get about half our service charge reimbursed by UC (buildings insurance currently very high due to unresolved building fire safety issues) - no help with ground rent which for us actually is quite significant (it's not considered for help with UC as it was felt these costs would typically be small or nil and so were were excluded in the rules and regs).

I don't expect others to deviate much from my advice or the decision you received but I've just had a massive chemo infusion and my mind a little cement like at moment so if I'm missing something obvious (like how income is relevantly calculated for the situation) hopefully someone will pick me up on that. The decision could be appealed but that would only be worth it if there was a ground to do so.... the apparent unfairness/anomaly regarding those getting rent paid of much more public cost isn't a ground but naturally I agree with what you've said.

Does your partner work... as it could affect advice or future workarounds.. as possibly would that information in combination with the real potential of you giving up work (which I imagine will be a consideration far beyond simple monetary sums but also wellbeing etc as you already mention). A very awkward question may also be worth asking... no offence is intended here but it is potentially relevant.. please do not answer if you're uncomfortable as below I will provide link that may (should!) shed light on why I ask and you can consider relevance or lack thereof in any planning... you live with your partner (I understand) but what are the chances of this relationship failing in the near future?

For reference here is the decision maker guide relevant sections covering issues like waiting periods, earnings and couples.
(suggest have a good read of this with fresh mind due to the legal like format to some degree) 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/864905/admf4.pdf

devon_guy

Wow have never heard of them not covering parts of a service charge.  Mine gets paid in full by UC.

Muttleythefrog

devon_guy said:

Wow have never heard of them not covering parts of a service charge.  Mine gets paid in full by UC.

We got ours paid in full by accident in first year eligible but not after that.. the rules set out what can and can't be considered but the biggie usually is going to be building insurance especially with many recently rammed up due to fire safety issues (it's effectively half our SC). When ours was reviewed in year 2 they even decided not to include water and electricity until I quoted the guidance which clearly indicates they should be included items if for communal spaces and they backed off and corrected. With it reviewed each year likely by someone different with new figures don't be surprised if you get some variance in application of the rules! I think in a typical modern block of flats insurance might be the only obvious item to be excluded as basically the other considerations look at what is private and what is communal upkeep which in modern structures is likely clearly defined and simple (i.e. communal spaces are distinct and cleaned, lighted, maintained, utility supplied separately to residences)  .

Let me see if I can specifically find the DMG reference...

ah here we go https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670fc70930536cb9274832d6/dwp-adm-f2.pdf
Look at F2060 to F2078 for social renters and owner occupiers. 
F2077 deals with excluded items including the building insurance (I wonder if the justification of this is that it could be seen as benefitting the freeholder primarily and not the leaseholder who is a UC claimant.. not sure). 

(The link is useful possibly for the Op as a consideration to see what Service charges UC would reimburse if ever they did become eligible - I assume they're an owner occupier although not explicitly stated)

huckster

@moncronk write to your local MP about this. MP's passed the legislation that Universal Credit is applying.

You can contact your local Council about any temporary help they can provide as Councils have discretionary local funds subject to application. But they won't help with ongoing payments in regard to service charges.

moncronk

Thank you @Muttleythefrog that's really helpful, my building is a council building managed by Wandsworth housing so the service charge is very bare bones, I think the bulk of the charge would meet most of the criteria that would be covered. As for my partner and I - we are very solid, no chance of splitting up, and no she's not working, receiving PIP and ESA. The only thing affecting us getting assistance is my trickle of income. Also, sending my best to you, I know all too well about chemo and the nightmare therein.

@huckster that's also a really good suggestion, our MP is great so I think I will write to her.