Tax Credits & Housing Benefit in N.Ireland

fairplay4u

Hi

Brief outline of my query. I'm a single parent of 2 small children, I work part-time & pay full rent for my home. I've applied for housing benefit 3 times and each time have been told a BIG FAT NO.( to be honest all my dealings with them has left me in doubt that the caculation is accurate ) so a 2nd opinion would be appreciated. I can't check that web site to find out my entitlement as it doesn't wrk for N.Ireland.

I'll give income details and hopefully someone can give me some good new
Wages £137 per wk
CTC £90 per wk(baby)
WTC £105 per wk
CB £31.25per wk

I could be getting all I'm entitled to and may just be feeling the pinch like everyone else but I'd value input from anyone who knows:p

dmg24

How much is your rent?

£363.25 a week is a pretty decent income?!

Jules

Have you tried for Rate relief?


Q. What is Rate Relief? A. The Rate Relief Scheme provides additional help for low income households who are receiving either no, or only partial, help with their rates through Housing Benefit.

Q. Who can get Rate Relief? A. If you are getting only partial help with your rates through Housing Benefit you may be entitled to extra help through the Rate Relief Scheme. Other people just outside the Housing Benefit limits may also qualify for Rate Relief.

Taken from the Rate Relief site:

If you are on a low income, or if you get

• Income Support
• Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance, or
• Pension credit

and you don't have more than £16,000 saved, you may be able to get help through the Housing Benefit Scheme.
Even if you're not sure whether you can claim Housing Benefit, or if you have tried to claim in the past but not been successful, you should apply again, because now you may be entitled help through the Rate Relief Scheme.

Rate Relief Scheme

The new Rate Relief Scheme helps you if you are

• A pensioner and you have savings of less than £50,000
• getting Housing Benefit for only part of your rate bill; or
• just outside the income limit for receiving Housing Benefit.

You can download the forms from here
http://www.lpsni.gov.uk/index/rating/billing/getting_help_with_your_rates/housing_benefit_and_rate_relief.htm

Hope that helps

Jules

fairplay4u

dmg24 wrote: »

How much is your rent?

£363.25 a week is a pretty decent income?!

Hi dmg24

Thanks for your reply, my rent is £108 per wk which for a REAL single parent is tough going & in all honest doesn't give me much of an incentive to be out working ( other than my sanity )

Many Thanks

fairplay4u

Jules wrote: »

Have you tried for Rate relief?


Q. What is Rate Relief? A. The Rate Relief Scheme provides additional help for low income households who are receiving either no, or only partial, help with their rates through Housing Benefit.

Q. Who can get Rate Relief? A. If you are getting only partial help with your rates through Housing Benefit you may be entitled to extra help through the Rate Relief Scheme. Other people just outside the Housing Benefit limits may also qualify for Rate Relief.

Taken from the Rate Relief site:

If you are on a low income, or if you get

• Income Support
• Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance, or
• Pension credit

and you don't have more than £16,000 saved, you may be able to get help through the Housing Benefit Scheme.
Even if you're not sure whether you can claim Housing Benefit, or if you have tried to claim in the past but not been successful, you should apply again, because now you may be entitled help through the Rate Relief Scheme.

Rate Relief Scheme

The new Rate Relief Scheme helps you if you are

• A pensioner and you have savings of less than £50,000
• getting Housing Benefit for only part of your rate bill; or
• just outside the income limit for receiving Housing Benefit.

You can download the forms from here
http://www.lpsni.gov.uk/index/rating/billing/getting_help_with_your_rates/housing_benefit_and_rate_relief.htm

Hope that helps

Jules

Hi Jules

Thanks for your reply, I've checked out the link you've kindly provided and I'm going to download an application & apply for rate refief in the off chance I'll be entitled to some.
I'm new to this thread thing but hopefully I'll beable to gain some money saving advice because lets face it we all need some help every now & again. I've never been on benefits and I'm a hard working Mum trying hard to lead by example but with the cost of living I'm afraid of falling to benefits as finacially I really would be better of not working.

Sorry for the rant.

Many Thanks

voyager007

The original question of this thread was asked in 2008, I think, but for anyone who is attempting to find out this type of information I've just come across a new online Government Benefit's Adviser. This does include Housing Benefit calculation which previous BA's didn't.

I'm not able to provide the link as this site is stopping me from doing it. It say's I'm a new user although I've been registered with it for 4 years!

To find the link do a Google search for working tax credits and housing benefit and then look for the works and pension website. Hopefully you'll be able to find it as the online Benefits Adviser is one of the best that I've come across.
Annie :j