Universal Credit - Living With Parents

OsirianTheGreat

Hi MSE Forum. A very complex issue has arrose when it comes to my Universal Credit. It all started the other day when an agent requested me to report changes that I don't live with anyone, but that isn't true at all as I live with my parents and have for many years and pay them my keep once a month

I first sent a message to them to ask why they have asked me to do this and after having a long conversation with one of the agents, they told me its because I am not receiving Housing Costs by Universal Credit, therefore when I have someone else on the claim living with me, their system can't work out my statement or something along those lines.

So eventually I just did what he asked and reported the changes that I have no one living with me... but the issue still worries me as I do live with people, although the house I live in is my parents house and I pay them keep. They don't pay me anything.

My worry still lies though as I don't want there to be any confusion if I am questioned about this down the line. I kept trying to explain with them that I do live with people and me reporting that I have no one living with me is pretty much a lie that they wanted me to say. It's alright that this agent tells me to do this, but I don't want any future trouble coming to me if they investigate and the truth is that I do live with people if that makes sense.

Anyways, I get the standard allowance which is £400, along with the extra £423 because I am on the LCWRA group as well which in total is around £823 month from UC. What is this Housing Element/Costs about? Is it apart of the standard allowance or is it an extra amount that is not apart of the standard allowance? I need to know about all this as I want to know will this affect me down the line as I don't want to be telling any lies which I may add is not of my own doing, but because the agents told me to report these changes.

Yes I know, it sounds all very confusing, but I hope someone can make light of this for me as the agents didn't seem to be of much help.

Thank you.

Spoonie_Turtle

It is correct because as a benefit unit, your parents are irrelevant to your claim.  

Housing element is payable where the person claiming UC has a legal liability to pay rent, which is not the case for you.  (And even if you had a tenancy agreement, UC would not pay towards it because you live with your parents.)

If you were receiving the housing element because you were a tenant renting from a private landlord or council/Housing Association, your parents living in the same house would be either non-dependants (if they weren't on the tenancy) or joint tenants.  But because none of this applies, it's completely irrelevant to your claim that you physically live in the same house as your parents. 

The system would only need to know about your parents if you were eligible for the housing element, but as you aren't and they are irrelevant to your claim, I can see why you were essentially told that it's confusing the system.