How accurate is "entitled to"?

tazzababe

Just wondering really. I finished uni in Sept and got a p/t job as TA in a local high school on 3 dec. Its taken benefit peeps till now to tell me that I am not entitled to any money. I am a single parent and work 27.5 hrs p/w. I was convinved that I would get help with my rent- didn't think it would all be paid but about a tenner knocked off. Anyway, my friend told me to look on entitled to and they said that I should be getting something.
Who do I believe?.

CIS

are you claiming tax credits ? , these are taken in to account when they calculate housing benefit/council tax benefit.

Do you get your 25% single person discount on your council tax ?

DaisyFlower

Entitled.to is usually quite accurate on CTC but is usually always out on housing benefit as each council can differ. Try you local council website to see if they have an online calculator.

tazzababe

My local councils website doesn't have a calculator. I claim CTC and WTC. If I'm not entitled to anything thats fine- I will have to budget better. Its just that when I was at Uni, I also had a part time job, claiming ctc and wtc. I was coming out with over £1000 a month and was told I was entitled to housing benefit. I just presumed that becasue I am getting less money they may still help me.
Do you think I should re-apply?

tazzababe

If I were to post my details would anyone on here be able to check them over to see if I am entitled to anything. I don't want to bother the council unless I am sure

squiggles

sent you a PM

Sassamac

I was just wondering the same thing. I looked up what we should be getting on entitled to, and our CAB debt advisor told us that what she could calculate on our behalf is exactly the same as what entitled to calculates so I assumed it to be fairly accurate.
Anyway it has come through in the post today and its £115 per 4 weeks short of what we were expecting. That is a hell of a difference. There was also no mention of the amount of back payment due, as they have been underpaying us this year.
How can the two figures be so different and should I appeal or something?

DaisyFlower

Sassamac wrote: »

I was just wondering the same thing. I looked up what we should be getting on entitled to, and our CAB debt advisor told us that what she could calculate on our behalf is exactly the same as what entitled to calculates so I assumed it to be fairly accurate.
Anyway it has come through in the post today and its £115 per 4 weeks short of what we were expecting. That is a hell of a difference. There was also no mention of the amount of back payment due, as they have been underpaying us this year.
How can the two figures be so different and should I appeal or something?

I'm sure it says on the site its an estimate or a guide. Was it wrong re HB?

Sassamac

Im not sure Daisy as we are entitled to next to nothing in terms of housing benefit and council tax benefit because we have a mortgage.

It does say its an estimate because its based on estimated earnings and may vary when the actual income is known. But we have told them our earnings for this year exactly, by taking the current year to date figure from the payslips, then working out the remaining earnings for the rest of the tax year. And we have given the TC people the same info we have inputted online. The whole thing baffles me!

Chrysalis

its inaccurate on IB for young people as doesnt include age addition payments.

lindsaygalaxy

HB is calculated on whatever your ares limit is as "reasonable" rent per week. e.g. your rent could be £150 a week private rental. BUT your local council may say that "fair" rent for your area is onlu £120. Therefor your Housing benefit would only be worked out on your rent being £120, and any additional on top you would still have to pay no matter what.