Local Housing Allowance Question

Danni

I am trying to figure out how much Local Housing Allowance I will get, and am slightly confused. I am 21, on Income Support and DLA (higher care, lower mobility) and need a 2 bedroom flat as I need somewhere for my carer to sleep, as I need care during the night. I have found a flat for £75 a week, which is 2 bedrooms and directly above where my carer works. He cannot afford to actually live with me, but another friend will be moving in in a couple of months so that she can care for me full time once she's left university. My other friend (the one who works below the flat) will still help out with things like shopping, as he can drive.

My question is what rate will I be able to get? As I'm 21, I'm only entitled to the shared room rate, but the website says that the rules are different for someone with a severe disability (which I'm classed as having). The rate for a shared room is £55, the 1 bedroom rate is £88.85, and the 2 bedroom rate is £103.85. Which would I get as a single person under 25 with a severe disability?

bigbill

£88.85 and you keep the extra HB.

Danni

Thank you. I was hoping that it would mean that I'd get the 1 bedroom rate rather than the shared room rate (which confused me as I wouldn't want to share a room) but the site didn't make it clear.

Oldernotwiser

To be fair, what you're referring to is a room in shared accommodation (flat share) rather than actually sharing the room itself!

Alleycat

The best thing to do is approach the Housing Benefit department and ask them for a pre-tenancy determination based on the property you have found. That way you will be sure of the amount of LHA you would be entitled to prior to signing an agreement with a prospective landlord.

daveyboy998

Alleycat wrote: »

The best thing to do is approach the Housing Benefit department and ask them for a pre-tenancy determination based on the property you have found. That way you will be sure of the amount of LHA you would be entitled to prior to signing an agreement with a prospective landlord.

No such things as pre-tenancy determinations anymore!! No need under LHA!

bigbill gave you the right answer!

Alleycat

daveyboy998 wrote: »

No such things as pre-tenancy determinations anymore!! No need under LHA!

bigbill gave you the right answer!

Pre-tenancy determinations still exist and are still needed with the LHA. Each individual claim is still assessed depending on your circumstances such as income level, amount of people living in the household etc.

Whilst the total amount that can be paid is fixed and based only on the amount of bedrooms required rather than individual property, the amount the claimant will receive is still variable as per the above circumstances.

jai_2

Because you are disabled the 'under 25's single room' rate does not apply to you.You will be entitled to whatever the LHA for two bedroom rate is in your area ....assuming your carer is over 16???

Danni

Yup- my current carer is 20, the friend who'll be living with me is 21. Of course, now my current carer is saying he can afford to live with me. I'll be seeing the council benefits person on Friday hopefully to discuss the various situations and how it'll affect both housing and council benefits, but I wanted to check that I wouldn't be £20 out of pocket if I was living alone (I'd not struggle to pay it, but it's money that could be spent on other stuff if I don't need to).

Thank you all for your help

bigbill

As far as I'm aware there is no rule that would allow you a two bedroom LHA rate to allow for your carer.

You are in danger of losing a lot of your Icnome Support when you move another adult over 18 in.

I would suggest you get some advice as there are ways round this, but do not go to the council for advice get some independent specialist Welfare Rights advice ASAP.

Danni

Can you explain why I'd lose a lot of my Income Support? That doesn't make much sense to me. I know that I may lose the severe disability premium but I'd rather lose that than continue the way I am at the moment, unable to cope properly and becoming more ill. I have to pay that to cover my care where I am at the moment anyway, so it won't make much difference. I don't need the two bedroom rate as the one bedroom rate covers the full rent, so that isn't an issue.