Housing benefit/LHA

sjaypink

good luck with the cab. yep i know what you mean it does feel like a real battle at times to get on in life...........

was thinking, what is your student grant supposed to help you with?
if it specifically says 'to help with living costs' then i guess they might be right and it should be classed as income.

but if it is to cover the expenses associated with your degree then how can this be right?
eg. to help towards childcare, travel, books etc etc.

i get what your saying though about the biggest problem being given the wrong information to start with. i definately think you have a good case for appeal (and complaint if you wish).
agree with tom, the best advice i could give anybody is to deal with every department/ agency via letter, if not email.

Kazzajr

I get a separate grant to cover my childcare costs which isn't counted as income, unless they change their minds about that .

My student loan is to cover living costs, then the lone parent grant is a supplementary grant to help with living costs so it must be right that it is to be counted as income but I wish I had been told that in the beginning.

Kazzajr

Hiya bumping this as I am wondering if anyone had any advice on whether I would be able to stop my HB claim for one week then start a new claim and move to LHA?
Thanks.

jimcoxell

Kazzajr wrote: »

Hiya bumping this as I am wondering if anyone had any advice on whether I would be able to stop my HB claim for one week then start a new claim and move to LHA?
Thanks.

Yes you can.

dmg24

Kazzajr wrote: »

Hiya bumping this as I am wondering if anyone had any advice on whether I would be able to stop my HB claim for one week then start a new claim and move to LHA?
Thanks.

Not necessarily. It is a very grey area at the moment, and each local authority seems to be applying their own interpretation of the rules. Some will allow you to stop your claim for one week, some will require a longer period, and some will only allow the transition to occur on a true change in circumstances.

The only people that can answer the question for you is your own local authority.

Kazzajr

My LA rules for existing claimants of HB being put onto LHA are
Makes a new claim for benefit or
moves to a new address or
a break in claim for 1 week or longer

I would be better off with LHA but am worried about stopping my claim for the week incase I wont be able to reclaim and also do I need to have a reason for stopping my claim?

dmg24

Kazzajr wrote: »

My LA rules for existing claimants of HB being put onto LHA are
Makes a new claim for benefit or
moves to a new address or
a break in claim for 1 week or longer

I would be better off with LHA but am worried about stopping my claim for the week incase I wont be able to reclaim and also do I need to have a reason for stopping my claim?

Again, you need to ask the LA this question, as they all seem to be interpreting the guidelines differently.