Housing Benefit issues

[clw1981]

I am currently placed in temporary housing, long term lease, by the local council. I have been in recept of benefits, legitimately, for some time but as my rent is twice what the minimum wage is for a 40 hour week how the hell am I supposed to get off benefits?

If anyone says find somewhere cheaper, it is not as simple as that. I was in emergency accommodation prior to this. You have to be in temporary accommodation before perm housing but this could take years. And no I do not live in the capital.

[sara3]

if you are on a low wage you may well still be entitled to Housing and Council Tax benefits.

[Buenchico]

I can't help wondering about what type of accommodation requires a rental of twice the minimum wage. The take home pay for someone on the NMW, working a 40 hour week, is around £197. Rent of nearly £400 per week seems ridiculous for what is presumably fairly basic accommodation!

Shelter can give advice on matters specifically related to housing. Call 0808 800 4444 (0800-2000 weekdays, 0800-1700 weekends).

Your local CAB give advice about tax credits, benefits, etc. Find them from here:
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cabdir.ihtml

Chris

[jb190281]

as sara said, depending on which benefits you currently receive, it is quite likely that you would be eligible for housing benefit assistance.

im assuming your local authority have provided this housing as a move on from the temporary accommodation (following a homeless application?), and if so, that would have been their main priority, not consequences if and when you get a job - i applaud you for thinking ahead (not many would), but i would advise that your best bet is your benefits section.

[tamborine]

blimey - what d'you get for that rent.....Beckingham palace?

Surely that's not council housing rates?

[ayabrea38]

I would guess at landlord knowing they can get all they want from the system.Some landlords hike up the rent when they learn you are getting benefits.I'm not saying they all do either,before anyone has a shout at me,but lets be honest it does happen.

[tamborine]

if only, ayabrea38....how does the l'lord guarantee rent and surety that property is not trashed?

[ELVIS68]

Take home pay £197 pw? Is that the going rate for NMW?

[Old_Geezer]

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw/#b

There are three levels of minimum wage, and the rates from 1 October 2009 are:

* £5.80 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older
* a development rate of £4.83 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive
* £3.57 per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age.

[Old_Geezer]

I guess that works out to a rent of £2k a month.
Depending on where you are, that should be a rather nice place.

Seems to me to be a good reason for councils to pay rent directly to landlords and ensure they (the council) get the best rates going.

[clw1981]

The property is TEMPORARY accommodation. For those of you unaware of what this means, I was homeless. I was placed, initially, into a hostel followed by a studio flat (emergency accommodation again), followed by the place I am in now. When you are in temporary or emergency accommodation the rent charge per week is 276.11, you still have to pay council tax.

I already claim Housing and Council Tax benefits. However, I am on Incapacity which means I pay 14 per week to cover my rent etc. After food' gas; electric; mobile (essential as am ill and need a doctor every week); prescriptions - I have nothing left! So before someone mentions about people on Incap having an easy ride, think again.

Whilst I know that shortly I will be ok to work I would have to earn enough to cover everything as am not sure I would get a lot of the rent covered.