Help with housing benefit

Redcase wrote: »

Hi

I am my dad’s carer and pay towards the household bills.He takes this money as the rent for my room. I receive carers allowance and income support top up, can I try for help with the rent. He owns the house after paying the mortgage in full when my mum died. Any info greatly appreciated.

you cannot claim housing benefit when living with a close family member. Depending what you pay, you could look at it as your share of the bills and food which you would need to pay out of your IS/CA even if you were in your own place getting full rent paid

pinkfeet wrote: »

Hello after 12 years with the same company I have just been made redundant :mad: I have not been unemployed for over 30 years and have no idea about benefits. I am a single mum with 2 children 9 and 12 and a big mortgage, does anyone know if I can get some help? My previous job allowed me to work from home so could work around school commitments I am worried that I will struggle to find full time work that will be flexible with school run and holidays - bad times!!

You will be entitled to contribution based JSA for 26 weeks (based on your NI contributions whilst at work) I believe you can put a claim for this online or phone Job Centre Plus for further information.

Depending on your income and savings you may also be entitled to income based JSA as well. They will assess you for this when you claim the contribution based JSA.

Depending on your savings and income you may be entitled to Support for Mortgage Interest (google this) after 13 weeks and also Council Tax Benefit (straight away if you are eligible)

If you are claiming tax credits you need to inform them of your change of circumstances asap.

In the circumstances it is best to inform your lender what has happened. They may allow you to take a mortgage 'holiday' or go 'interest only' for a while.

Have you got PPI on your mortgage? (people often forget this)

Good luck with finding a new job

pinkfeet wrote: »

Hi again thanks for the info, very useful. What is contribution based JSA? I have no income as I'm no longer working and uncomfortably no savings. I will get 12 weeks statutory redundancy, do they consider this as savings?

There are 2 types of Job Seekers Allowance - income based and contribution based.

If you have been working for approximately the last two years then you will be entitled to contribution based JSA as this is based on the National Insurance contributions you have paid.

From what you have said you will be entitled to contribution based JSA. This lasts for 26 weeks.

Contribution based JSA is not means tested. Therefore it does not make any difference whether you have lots of savings.

Income based JSA is means tested so you would only get this if you had no other income and savings under £6000.

Some people would be eligible for both contribution based JSA and income based JSA. This is because they may have worked up to when they applied but had no savings or other income.

In this case (as is yours) you will be assessed for both.

This is because income based JSA gives you access to other benefits. e.g. Housing Benefit(if you are renting) and Housing costs - called Support for Morgage Interest - for those who have a mortgage rather than renting and also Council Tax Benefit. SMI does not begin until 13 weeks after your claim.

Your redundancy money will count as capital but if it is below £6000 you will still be entitled to help.

Job Centre Plus will help you with all this so don't worry.

hello, as of last week iv had to go part time at my job due to stress and slight depression which was adviced to me by my doctor, im still living with parents but am now looking to move out as they are part of the reason i am depressed, if i was to move out could i get housing benefit/social housing and would a letter from the doctor help me as after christmas i will only be needed at my job as and when?

many thanks.