Housing Benefit Claim

MERFE

Have just put in a claim for housing benefit, I've been reluctant to claim in the past because the calculators always say you are entitled to 8 pounds per week and I wasnt sure what effect it may have on the landlady but now the calculators say we are entitled to 25 pounds per week and that too significant to ignore, Are these calculators realistic? I also do voluntary work so have had to list the expenses I get paid on the form but these only covers petrol so would it make any difference to the claim, they didnt have place to put it on the calculators? Does anyone know how long it takes for a claim to come through? Also our house has a garage and they seem concerned about this on the claims form but the rent is still cheaper than any other 2 bed place in our area. We are on a periodic tenancy so I just dont want to do anything that is gonna make the landlady gives us our notice we could not afford to rent somewhere else. If anyone has claimed before etc your advice is much appreciated thanks

Scarlett.1974

Hi merfe,

I found entitledto pretty accurate when it came to HB and CTB entitlement. We were awarded pretty much the same figure as entitledto said. Like you, I was a first time claimant and it took exactly 3 weeks from start to finish for the claim to be done

HTH

allen35

You can request the housing benefit be paid to yourself so as not to get in arrears with landlord.
Can't see landlord having a problem but i would casually ask him nevertheless as some tenancies request no DSS.
In my area it is paid 4 weeks in arrears but remember to keep all wage slips etc for proof of income.
Your expenses shouldn't be taken into consideration for your voluntary work.
Post some extra info and someone will be able to do calculations for you, things like rent, council tax, wages, child benefit, working/child tax credits etc.
Good luck with your voluntary work hope you get a paid job for your dedication.
One more thing do claim if your entitled!!

MERFE

Hi thanks for the quick replies, I did check entitled to and also the local council have a similar calculator with some more in depth questions but had the same outcome as the entitled to one, so hopefully they are right.

I have asked that it is paid directly to me as it is easier that way since our rent is paid monthly not 4 weekly.

Our rent is 550 per month, council tax 100, OH wages 1494, child benefit 120 and child tax credit44.

My voluntary work pays less than 10 pounds per month depending on travelling just to cover petrol and the extra I had to pay on my car insurance. It is in the field I want to work so is great experience and a good reference and no gap on the cv until the kids go to school, and useful for the people I'm helping (hopefully)!

I suppose the landlady knows us already as we have been here nearly 3 years no problems so hopefully she wont have a problem with it.

Was it 3 weeks between when you made the claim and first payment, or is that how long it took to hear if it was successful or not. I thinkI've provided all the evidence they wanted, I'm gonna go in next week because I dont really want to post all those documents all together.

allen35

If you call the local authority and ask for an appointment to fill in a housing benefit form they should be helpful or ask them to post it to you and fill it yourself and then make an appointment so they can process your claim.
Take along all relevant info-wage slips, child benefit, tax credit award and bank statements, tenancy agreement and landlords details.
If you were entitled you could ask for your benefit to be backdated up to 12 months so here's a challenge for you, start thinking of good reasons why you never claimed.

At the back of the pack there is a any other information.
Ask politely for it to be backdated.
You don't get if you don't ask.
Good luck

MERFE

thnaks for your help, back dating yeah I wish but thats where everything gets really complicated, I've had different jobs on and off and depending which jobs I had at which times we are not always entitled, I was just no better off after childcare and with one it was easy to go back to work but 2 was so much harder, now with DD at her 2 and a half hour sessions daily and walking there and back there wouldnt be time for a job I think til they are both at school, OH has also changed jobs so has nights out too now so evenings are out of the question.

Also when Oh does change jobs he will be with agency for 3 months with lower pay then when taken on his wage is matched to his current wage so will the claim go up for the period he is paid less? Would be great if so as I was beginning to wonder how I'd pay for everything during this time?

allen35

I dont see no reason why if income is reduced you wont be entitled.
You dont mention working tax credits?
If income falls apply once again they can only say no.
Good luck with your job hunting.
Throw all photo-copied evidence at Local Authority and see what they come up with.
I am currently helping someone get their full entitlement to H/B going back a few years but they passed the buck and told me to work it out.
This i am doing as they paid £550 for the last 20 months but are reluctant to look further until i've done the sums.

Scarlett.1974

MERFE wrote: »

Was it 3 weeks between when you made the claim and first payment, or is that how long it took to hear if it was successful or not. I thinkI've provided all the evidence they wanted, I'm gonna go in next week because I dont really want to post all those documents all together.

Hi,

Like you, I wasn't happy about posting all those documents, so I took them into the local HB office. They went through the forms there and then and photocopied all my bits & pieces and gave them right back to me. This was on a Friday. Exactly 3 weeks to the day (a week last Friday) a payment was made into my account, which was a nice pleasant surprise. The following day I received the letter from them confirming it all

Just to add a couple of points:

1. My friend, who works in the benefits office told me that new claims are given priority.
2. My case was a little complicated and did involve them writing to me during those 3 weeks and me replying to their letter. So, if your case is straightforward it could be less than 3 weeks

real1314

You might not get HB, as the authority will have to look at whether your rent is "reasonable". Up to April this means they will refer the rent to the Rent Officer (independat body from the council) who would look at the level of rent, the size of your household etc and decide on what level of rent could be considered in the assesment. After April it would be done under the Local Housing Allowance scheme, which is broadly similar but a bit more transparent.

Try re-doing entitled to with a weekly rent of £100 instead of the £126 and see what you'd get then.

MERFE

If we are not eligible that is fine we will manage but I think the council would be hard pushed to claim our rent is not reasonable or our accomodation is too big for needs, its a small 2 bed terrace, with 2 children opposite sex we cant stay here forever 3-4 more years tops and 550 per month is the lowest rent in our area for a 2 bed house we thought it was cheap 3 years ago and it hasnt gone up since, the only people with cheaper rent are council tenants and I would rather be a council tenant with cheaper rent and secure tenancy then private renting with a small top up from housing benefit but you dont always get what you want. I dont expect anything but if we do get it its a bonus and will certainly ease some of the strain a bit and the worst they can do is say no so will be going through with claim for now. Have all the forms filled out so gonna call on tuesday to see if I can make an appointment to bring them in and go through it.

lil_me

I go by the simple fact of - if the worst they can say is no then it's worth asking.....if you are entitled you are loosing out while you 'consider' applying. If in doubt, apply.

The most recent review of areas seems to be this one, which states how much is payable in each area for each size of property, these do change each year so it's just a guide.

http://www.therentservice.gov.uk/corporate-publications/local-reference-rents/local-reference-rents-31December2007.asp

If you click on 'rooms calculator' it'll give you a table on here http://www.therentservice.gov.uk/online-services/index.asp to work out your room entitlement I think it'll be 4 given what you have said (these include living room/dining room but not bathrooms/kitchens)

The max HB will depend on the are you are in and the ages of your children, there is an allowance for rooms you are entitled to if in PR housing then a max payable in each area for that number of rooms. Doesn't go off the size house you are in unless you are in one which is smaller, just works out what you can claim towards it. For example if I was entitled to max HB in my area, I could move into a 6 bedroom house with rent of £2000 a month, but I would still only get what is stated for the 4 rooms we are entitled to (just under £400 I think it is currently for my area) I would have to find the rest towards it.