Universal credit and child reaching 18

Marsha2007

My son is 18 in June and will be leaving college and going to University in September. 

We have the child element on our universal credit statement, which will obviously be removed. My husband is in LCWRA group and receives Pip. I work part time and am his carer (get the carer element but not CA). Also have housing element. 

What happens in June when the child element is removed? Does the housing element get readjusted? I've read that because my husband is registered blind, non dependants income (so assume student loans) will not be taken into account (or was that only under the housing benefit rules not UC?)

KxMx

If your husband gets Daily Living PIP, then no non dependant deductions will be made from your Housing Element. 

If bedroom tax were to become applicable then the PIP doesn't exempt him and your HE award would reduce.

huckster

When your Son finishes education, at the end of the academic year, you would report a change of circumstances under the section Children and other people who live with. And you would remove him as a child and instead enter him as an adult non dependent that lives with you.  And then you don't need to report when your Son leaves for University in September, as UC will allow you to keep your Son as a non dependent, so the UC claim for Housing includes a bedroom entitlement, as he will no doubt be staying with you outside of University term times.

Marsha2007

Thank you.  He will be stopping with us whilst he is at university, going to a local uni!!  So I assume that changes nothing either?

Marsha2007

KxMx said:

If your husband gets Daily Living PIP, then no non dependant deductions will be made from your Housing Element. 

If bedroom tax were to become applicable then the PIP doesn't exempt him and your HE award would reduce.

He gets both high DL and mobility.  I did read that being registered blind also means no non dependant deductions.

poppy12345

Marsha2007 said:

KxMx said:

If your husband gets Daily Living PIP, then no non dependant deductions will be made from your Housing Element. 

If bedroom tax were to become applicable then the PIP doesn't exempt him and your HE award would reduce.

He gets both high DL and mobility.  I did read that being registered blind also means no non dependant deductions.

Being registered blind wouldn't exempt you from non dependant deductions. The daily living award of PIP will exclude you, as has been advised. Even for those that are not claiming a qualifying disability benefit there's no non dependant deductions for someone under the age of 21. 

Marsha2007

From Shelter site... 

HillStreetBlues

No deduction for a person that is blind (applies to join renters)
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/schedule/4
Schedule 4, 15(2a)

1) No deduction is to be made under paragraph 13 in the case of—

(a)any renter who is a single person to whom sub-paragraph (2) applies; or

(b)any joint renter where at least one joint renter is a person to whom sub-paragraph (2) applies.

(2) This sub-paragraph applies to—

(a)a person who is blind;

poppy12345

HillStreetBlues said:

No deduction for a person that is blind (applies to join renters)
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/schedule/4
Schedule 4, 15(2a)

1) No deduction is to be made under paragraph 13 in the case of—

(a)any renter who is a single person to whom sub-paragraph (2) applies; or

(b)any joint renter where at least one joint renter is a person to whom sub-paragraph (2) applies.

(2) This sub-paragraph applies to—

(a)a person who is blind;

Thanks, I never actually realised that. You learn something new everyday.