Housing association rent arrears

Jay2476

Please can i get some advice, I have been a tenant with the housing association Leeds federation for over 20 years. I live in a 2 bedroom property and i have rent arrears due to the bedroom tax, but i have been on disability benefits for about 18/19 years. I was never informed by the housing benefit or the housing association that i was entitled to full rent due to my disability as i need someone to stay with me at times, this is usually my son and he needs his own bedroom when he stays, the whole situation has & still is causing me alot of stress and upset, i used to get esa and disability premium & i was on dla and moved over to pip, i am now getting uc and i don't know what to do about the bedroom tax and how to go about what i'm entitled to with the housing benefit.

marcia_

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/housing-benefit/how-an-extra-bedroom-affects-your-housing-benefit/check-if-youre-allowed-an-extra-bedroom-for-housing-benefit/

you need to apply to your local council to get the extra room added on. You will need to prove evidence of your disability and disability benefits

poppy12345

If your rent is paid in with your UC then it would be this you need to apply through and not your local Authority.

fatbelly

Shelter explain this on this link and subsequent ones if you look down the left-hand side

https://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/legal/benefits/universal_credit/universal_credit_housing_costs_element_payment_condition

8dayweek

If your Housing Element is paid within your UC award AND you receive PIP daily living component AND you have one or more “spare” bedrooms, then you should automatically get a task to completed called something along the lines of “Tell us whether you use an extra bedroom due your disabilities”.

Can you check your To-Do list and see if it’s sat there awaiting completion? If it’s already been complete, check your Journal to see what answers you gave.

In relation to prior HB claim, you’d need to ask your local Council to retrospectively review your award - they may need evidence of your DLA / PIP awards.