How much HB could we get?

fuzzgun19

We are thinking of moving from our council house(bad area) to a privately rented house(better area).

No luck with council transfer/exchange, even tried local councellor/MP for help, I'd plead depression but I'm a rubbish actress. Not many council homes in decent areas here as they have all been sold.

I've been on entitledto.com and typed all the correct details in (DH on min wage/have 2 young children), and it said we could get nearly all the rent paid on £420pcm.
I then phoned the council to ask them, and they said this was not the case. They could not give me a figure, but the max we'd be allowed was about £400 per month (if we were on JSA/IS), and as my DH is working, that figure would be 'significantly reduced'.
I assume that as we're getting approx £54 per week HB now in this council house, that we would get at least the same in a private rented house.

I thought entitledto.com was fairly accurate?

Does anyone have any advice?

suelees1

It all depends on your joint income and the Local Housing Allowance in your area. You can get confirmation of the latter on your LA website

fuzzgun19

The local housing allowance is £400 per month. income: Min wage approx £220 gross per week, Tax credits aprox £100 per week and CB.
Thats it.

mitchaa

I doubt you'd get max entitlement for LHA with a working income coming in.

Have you noted how much private rents? Usually much more expensive than council/HA. I suspect you would need a 3bed?

fuzzgun19

Well, we would prefer a 3 bedroom. we are looking at about £400 pcm in private rent.
The housing allowance would only give us for 2 bedrooms though as our 2 children are the same sex and quite close in ages.

msmicawber

Whereabouts are you? £400 per month wouldn't get you a room in a shared house around here.

fuzzgun19

North east england.

suelees1

If you get £54 pw HB now your income must be quite low. I can only give a very rough guide. HB is always based on the eligible rent for the property and your income.

Unlike in private accommodation, in social housing your eligible rent is the full amount as it is seen as a reasonable rent. So in your case your current HB is based on the full rent.

OK now look at how much you're currently paying towards your rent. Then look at the shortfall between what the private rental is and what your LA would pay in the way of LHA (as you say it will be based on two rooms). Add this shortfall to the amount you're paying now and it will be an approximation of what you'd have to pay.

Hope it's right!

msmicawber

Thanks, Fuzz. Depending on where you are in the NE, £400-£450 per month seems to cover 2-bedroomed houses rather than 3-bedroomed. However, there are often rental bargains to be had if you keep looking.

mitchaa

suelees1 wrote: »

If you get £54 pw HB now your income must be quite low. I can only give a very rough guide. HB is always based on the eligible rent for the property and your income.

Unlike in private accommodation, in social housing your eligible rent is the full amount as it is seen as a reasonable rent. So in your case your current HB is based on the full rent.

OK now look at how much you're currently paying towards your rent. Then look at the shortfall between what the private rental is and what your LA would pay in the way of LHA (as you say it will be based on two rooms). Add this shortfall to the amount you're paying now and it will be an approximation of what you'd have to pay.

Hope it's right!

Was just going to say that, if they receive £234pm HB (£54x52/12) at the moment, surely they'll receive the same in LHA??

So looking at a shortfall of around £200-250pm if they want to move??

fuzzgun19

Thanks.

Just been on entitledto.com again, and it's changed from the last time I did it.
It now has a section for entering your LHA into.

When I used the site 2-3 weeks ago, it said we would get almost all of our rent paid on £420pcm, now it says we'd get about £48 per week HB, and only £2.60 per week C/Tax benefit.