housing benefit scotland

[ajmmac]

my 2 sons share a flat in glasgow which they rent from a private landlord--one is employed the other on jobseekers allowance and in receipt of housing benefit--they have been given notice to leave because the landlord is selling the flat--the plan was for the employed one to buy a 2 bedroom flat and to rent a room to his brother--being brothers the unemployed one will no longer get housing benefit--without that the buying of a flat can't go ahead cos the other brother cannot afford it on his own--he could buy and let a room to another tenant, i know, but they want to stay together--added to that the unemployed brother would have to find another room in a flat with the catch 22 of not getting housing benefit until he has a place and not being able get a place without guarantee of housing benefit--a period of being homeless could be result--making it harder for him to get a job--it is not in his interest or society's for this to happen--i know the hb people have to guard against benefit fraud but the employed brother's solution seems to me to be eminently sensible--it is honest--up front--and above board--it seems in everyone's interest including society's--Q is--anyone any suggestions to a way round this--eg other benefits which might help--alternatives to hb etc--thanks to anyone who can help--cheers

[themas]

The Council is only applying the regulations about housing benefit. Clearly this is very difficult in the situation you set out, but imagine the probelms that would arise & the ability of people to milk the system if it was possible to get HB when living in a property owned by another family member.

The only solutions I can suggest are:

1. Continue as now - i.e. go on renting together

2. The unemployed on gets HB to rent elsewhere. It is quite possible to get confirmation that HB will be paid before entering into a tenancy agreement & the Coucil HB Dept. should be able to explain how to do this.