Housing Benefit. Help Please.

[chrissa1]

The Local Housing Allowance for my area is £87.69 per week for a two bedroom house. I am only receiving £68.00 per week. I only have my State Pension and a small private pension of £56.00 per week.

Can someone tell me why I don't receive the full amount allowable? I really don't know what to do and I hope this question doesn't get people's backs up.

[albaqwerty]

It might be the private pension which is doing it.

Also as it's a 2 bed, are they thinking you have an independant working adult living with you full-time?

[boxtops]

Chrissa - I don't know, but don't your benefits office/council send you a decision letter saying how this amount is arrived at?

[charlieuniform3]

Are you renting privately? My understanding is that your receive a % of your rent maybe that is your correct % and the figure you quoted is the max they will pay.

[albaqwerty]

Boxy, at the end of May, my council sent a letter saying they wanted full rent 'due to a change in cirumstances'

Son had finished his first year of college and presumed he was working. Eventually he received a letter from the DWP saying as he was a full time student he wasn't entitled to any benefits (Fair enough). Took aforementioned letter to council who then back-dated to previous housing benefit status but the council have never sent a letter stating how the amount was arrived at.

(Sorry to be a wind-bag)

[treetops1]

Are you on your own, we have a three bed house but can only claim for two bedrooms, If handicapped daughter wasn't with us only could claim for one.

[bednobs]

hi chrissa, probably because you don't need a two bedroomed place? Why would your question get people's backs up? Peoples backs must be very sensitive if it does!

[boxtops]

Agree, bednobs - those of us who know chrissa's circs won't be remotely up-backed about it.

[fliptheswitch]

As stated above, it's because they say you only "need" the one bedroom. That's assuming you live on your own, obviously.

[rowanwitch]

I suspect its your private pension thats the problem it takes very little to cross the different thresholds... there is a calculator on the direct gov website that will calculate what you should or could get it might be worth putting your personal circumstances into it as it gives notes about ineligibility as well

[albaqwerty]

A regular poster on AB once asked a question concerning the pregnant daughter and the AB'er got pelters from others.

Shame on them, a question was only asked.

[ummmm]

Doesn't your daughter live with Chrissa?

[ummmm]

*you

[bednobs]

not that i'm a stalker, but i think chrissa's daughter has gone away to uni

[ummmm]

Could that be the difference then?

[ubasses]

Below may help, it is written in typical official language but it shows how your payment would be reduced if your income is higher than applicable amount.

The income of the claimant is compared to the "applicable amount". This is an assessment of the minimum level of income a claimant and household need to live on. This is broadly similar to the amount that such a person would be paid as Income Support / Job Seekers Allowance. If a claimant is receiving a "Passported Benefit" income support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or Pension Credit Guarantee or if the income is no higher than the applicable amount, the claimant's housing benefit will normally be the full eligible rent. This is the maximum housing benefit possible. However, deductions can be made where there are non-dependants living in the household (except where the claimant is blind or in receipt of the higher rate of the Care component of Disability Living Allowance).

If a claimant's income is higher than applicable amount then a deduction is made from the maximum housing benefit entitlement based on how high the eligible income is. Housing benefit is reduced at a rate of 65p for each £1 of excess income. (For Council Tax benefit the amount is reduced by 20p for each £1). The calculated income will also include an assumed rate of income generated from any savings held by the claimant.

For example, assume that the maximum permitted housing benefit that could be paid for an individual who attracted the full rate of benefit were £100. Assume further that this claimant is not entitled to the full amount because his income exceeds the applicable amount by £60; that is, he has excess income of £60. The maximum possible benefit will be reduced by 65% of £60 to a value of £100 - (65% X £60) = £100 - £39 = £61; his award of housing benefit using the current taper is thus £61 instead of the maximum possible amount of £100.

[didoatwork]

You need a degree to decipher that lot ^^

[albaqwerty]

I can't find the blooming letter from the council but it was along the lines of

Income (Earned) £149, rent = £10C/T £ 2.50 ish per week
for the entire household that is, not just one person.

[chrissa1]

Gosh!! Just managed to get on here via Internet Explorer. Thank you for all your comments and kind words.
I had to prove that my daughter was a student and yes she is away in Surrey during term time. However, I do need a two bedroom house to enable my daughter to live with me.

How much would a Council House cost me and would I get any help? I'm just coming to the end of my Shorthold 6 Month Tenancy ends on 8th October. Should I contact the Estate Agent about this? I've written to the owner/landlord telling her about my situation and asking if a rental reduction could be put into place. This house is her MIL's house and they are going to move into it in 2 or 3 years time so that they can downsize.
I got the feeling that she was just happy for someone to look after the house and she wasn't doing it for much, if any gain.
I'm really worried and feel quite down having waited since May to hear anything from the Council and I was assured that my application was being handled.

[chrissa1]

Sorry, my rent is £500.00 a calendar month.