19 year old benefits etc.

pjala

Hi,
I have a son living at home between school and university. He currently has no job - I know he can get jobseekers allowance if he signs up for it, but can we charge him rent that he will get back as a tenant?
Thanks in advance.

gremlin

Sorry? Have I got this right?

Your 19 yr old son doesnt go out to work, he wants to claim benefits after contributing nothing and you want the state to pay you rent money to keep him in your own home?

Conor_3

I see nothing wrong in charging him rent. My parents did the same to me. Difference is though I was expected to go get a job to pay it. My bro works in a LA Housing Benefit Dept and we've had this discussion before and the upshot is that you've got virtually no chance of getting any HB renting off a relation and even less if you're living at home and paying your parents it.

Tell him to get down to the employment agencies and signed up with them for anything. He's gonna need all the money he can lay his hands on. I told my DD that, she didn't listen and 6 months in said "You were right about how much I'd need".

lic

If yur son is british, I'd be surprised if he was entitled to anything. But if he was a foriegn then I am sure he would be entitled to a car, a flat, clothing, furniture and bedding.
It matters not that he has not contributed, the welfare state is a free for all, for all those who have not contributed that is. If you have contributed then you will get almost nothing.#
So charge him rent if you can, but I doubt you will get beneift for it. Why not send him down to the local job centre and he can try to get a job, a bit radical I know! But they used to do that in my younger days!

glossgal

lic wrote: »

If yur son is british, I'd be surprised if he was entitled to anything. But if he was a foriegn then I am sure he would be entitled to a car, a flat, clothing, furniture and bedding.
It matters not that he has not contributed, the welfare state is a free for all, for all those who have not contributed that is. If you have contributed then you will get almost nothing.#
So charge him rent if you can, but I doubt you will get beneift for it. Why not send him down to the local job centre and he can try to get a job, a bit radical I know! But they used to do that in my younger days!

Being British has nothing to do with it-I'd estimate about 70% of welfare state funds are paid out to johnny england rather than johnny foreigner. I'm more offended by the growing number of reasonably healthy and/or wealthy people who think there is something to be had from a system they feel they're missing out on-see OP. To answer the question, you can't contrive a tenancy to claim benefit as it is, for want of a better word, fraud.

gremlin

lic

can we keep nationality out of this - It would probably take this down the wrong road.

I personally am appalled that not only does a 19 year old think they dont have to pay their own way in life, his parents want tax payers to pay them to live in his own home.

Heres a radical thought, HES YOUR SON - YOU KEEP HIM!

scruples, morals, anyone?

Gemmzie

Pjala - if your son is going to university, then there's no direct help for him. He needs to sign on to JSA and look for a job. He's 19 so he's entitled to the lower minimum wage of £4.60 an hour so any job would be better than benefits. Get him to keep looking and good luck.

lil_me

He wouldn't be able to claim housing benefit as he's your son, but of course can pay his way from other benefits he's able to claim if entitled. I would agree that he'd be far better financially aswell as giving him experience and references to seek employment during this time. He couldn't sign on to JSA and state he'd refuse a job because of going to university.

suelees1

He has to be available for and actively seeking work to be entitled to any JSA. If he meets the criteria he'll be paid £46.85 pw.

He can't claim HB if he lives with a close relative.

Whatever little he gets he should be contributing to your household.

If you're getting HB or CTB he'll be classed as a non dependant in your household and you'll lose some of your own benefit as he will be expected to contribute. However he'll be ignored if he receives receives Income Support or JSA (income based).

[Deleted User]

Do you have a local McDonalds? Push him inside with some GCSE certificates and make him get a job...

Crazy thought!

Edit: It's really vital for him to get work now - now is when his working career begins and he needs to start building his CV or do something productive. They'll want to see he's a grafter and takes every opportunity to work or build himself.

I'm speaking as someone who managed to hop on a bus the first week back from uni in the summer and get a job within 20 minutes of arriving in Manchester city centre. It was a rubbish job, but it spurred me on to other things and earned me some spending money.

ohreally

Something may turn up here...http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/Internet/setLocale.do?country=GB&language=en&page=/initialise.do