Housing benefit and son at uni, advice please.

Sapphire2008

Hi All,

I recieved a letter today stating i had been paid too much housing benefit and they want it back and stating my new hosuing benefit rate. They say its as i havent supplied details of my non-dependant son.
My son is at university, but lives at home as the uni is only 15 mins away, he also has a part time student job some evenings, now about 2 yrs ago before he started uni, i asked the job centre at my lone parent interview if him being at uni and having a part time job would affect my housing benefit and they said no.

I cant ring up today as its saturday, but this is quite worrying, theres no way i can afford the extra rent, or to pay back the overpayment.

I am now liable for the extra rent even though my son is a full time student ? and does his small student job really affect my benefits?

Any advice would be greatfully received.

Many thanks.

alison999

if your son is 18+ than i would of thought hes classed as a adult and you are no longer a lone parent. do you work full or part time? also, what they told you 2 years ago might have been how it was TWO YEARS AGO, systems and targets change, have you asked recently what would happen? you cant really go off information 2 years old imo

Sapphire2008

Thanks for the responses. I am still a lone parent with 2 young children at home.

dmg24

Sapphire2008 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses. I am still a lone parent with 2 young children at home.

The new calculation is likely to be correct. Your options are to ask your son for a contribution towards the rent (I assume he is receiving a full grant and loan?), or to find a cheaper property.

With regard to the overpayment, you should be able to arrange an affordable payment schedule with the council.

If you need help with budgeting, the Debt Free Wanabee board is very helpful x

Sapphire2008

Thanks for your speedy reply, don't think i could find a cheaper property, as we are already living in a council house lol My son does give me money each week , i certainly don't want to ask him for more. All very worrying really.

Sapphire2008

Ohhhh i have just found this http://www.nihe.gov.uk/publications/leaflets/HBL3.pdf

Now i don't know which council that is, or how old, but it does state no deductions will be made if the non-dependant is a student.

Now i know he has his little job, so i guess they can ask for some of that, but it couldnt be too much, certainly not as much as they are asking. At present they state as i havent given then details they are assesing on the hightest rate of £368 (or something). Wish they would send out thier letter to arrive on a day when you can actually phone and ask for advice.

dmg24

Are you still on HB, or have they moved you on to LHA?

Are you in Northern Ireland?

Sapphire2008

Whats LHA?

I'm in England

tinkerbell84

The link you posted was for Northern Ireland.

dmg24

Sapphire2008 wrote: »

Whats LHA?

I'm in England

LHA is Local Housing Allowance, which is the 'new' Housing Benefit. I was assuming that they had moved you over due to a change in circumstances, but if your letter does not state it, then they probably haven't.

The problem you have is that you have not informed the council about the change in circumstances, and therefore the decision to backdate the student status is at their discretion. Even as a student, he would have been counted as a non dependent in the summer holidays (assuming he was working).

I think you need to go in and see them on Monday, taking with you evidence of your son's studies. Tell them that you were misadvised (with proof is possible), and hope that they will backdate the student status.

Sapphire2008

Just found the link for Beford http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/NonDependentDeductionRates

And it says the same, so i guess it will be the same for my council. Looks like no deductions will be made as long as hes a full time student, but i guess they will look at his little job.