Renting While In Old Age

[Richie88]

May sound like a silly question, but for people who can't afford to buy property they have to rent.

When people get to old age and one need to retire, how can they afford rent? What happens to them?

[AlwaysConfused]

I haven't done any research, but I'd presume that if they cannot keep a roof over their head then they would go down the route of applying for housing benefit, council tax reduction, winter fuel benefits etc

[Buenchico]

Those who have savings of less than £16,000, and who are on a low income, can apply for housing benefit. The amount payable varies depending upon the part of the country (and. of course, on the actual income of the claimant) but where I live (Mid Suffolk) the '1 bedroom' rate is a maximum of £88.85 per week. Elsewhere (such as in some parts of London) it can be up to £250 per week.

[Peter Pedant]

They filkl out the relevant forms (some 50 pages long and daunt even me)
and apply for housing benefit - now known as Local Housing Allowance and full of completely different rules than Housing Benefit

and it gets paid. Some of it anyway

If they get screwed on the bedroom tax - which certainly happens in Manc, then either the landlord can agree to absorb the loss or they have to make it up out of other benefits they are eligible for.

Council tax would also be paid on their behalf - but not all

They eat baked beans on toast a lot