Can I claim rent ?

[Denisdiamond]

About 2 months ago, my partner,s son split up from HIS partner. He then moved in with us and gets custody of his 2 year old son 1 day a week plus 1 overnight stay a week. He does not work and apparently he does not get any benefits from the Government. My question is, can his mother or I claim anything while he is living with us ?

[jb190281]

No

[bednobs]

you could make him pay you rent surely?

[cherrychapstick]

no is the answer to that i am afraid.

[dothawkes31]

he should be claiming JSA or ESA and you need to get him a rent book and a lodger agreement from a high street stationers, then he can claim housing benefit and pay you the going rate for room and board, which is probably £85 a week or so.

[cherrychapstick]

Dot i am not sure you can sublet a room to family and claim housing benefit for it ,i may be wrong ,you are right about him getting jsa though but it might not be sorted yet i would ask him if he has been to see them and talk to your partner and see what she says about it

[jb190281]

youre right cherry - housing benefit wont pay to a close relative that youre living with.

[dothawkes31]

But it;s denis's partners son. not a blood relative at all, who's name is on the mortgage?

[ojread2]

but Dennis' partner lives with Dennis so therefore a close relative cannot claim HB for the reason cherry states

[Eve]

The partner lives there too though.

People who cannot get Housing Benefit [HB Reg 7]
Close relatives
You cannot claim HB if you live in the same dwelling as your landlord, and they are a close relative of you or your partner.

A close relative is a:

parent
or step-parent
or father-in-law or mother-in-law
or child
or step-child
or son-in-law or daughter-in-law
or brother or sister
or brother-in-law or sister-in-law
or partner of any of the above.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk...efit/housing-benefit/

[alavahalf]

Why not concentrate on getting a job ... instead of planning a life around benefits ?

[dothawkes31]

If they are joint tenants but not living as a couple in a relationship one or both (if claiming benefits) can claim housing benefit for their half of the rent.

[Eve]

But they are a couple aren't they?

[Denisdiamond]

Thanks everyone for your help. Absolutely right, alavahalf. I,m 60 yeqars old and never had any money off the Government in my life. The only concession to that is my free bus pass. Once again thanks to everyone.