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Hi,
I am wondering if someone can help. I can't find the relevant answers online anywhere, so thought I would check in here before spending an ungodly amount of credit phoning my local council.
I am a 29 yr old man, currently living in a private one bed flat, and I recieve £284 housing benefit pm. I top up to £360 with ESA to pay my rent, which I had agreed with my landlord, as rent was originally £395.
My daughter now stays overnight once a week *longer during holidays), and I am wondering if this will affect my housing benefit. preferably increase it?
I am doubtful that it will, but my landlord has today informed me that my rent will be going up to £410 pm, as he recently had the flat's to let value reassessed, so I am grasping at straws here. I have already received discretionary housing payments twice, and they won't give me anymore - DHP is only a short term solution any way.
In Plymouth, at our agreement of £360, which is the most I can possibly afford, this is the cheapest private one bed flat available. If I was to pay lower rent I would be looking at a flat share or studio apartment. Neither would be practical given my long term health condition and the logistics of having a child stay over.
Any info or advice would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Is the £284 housing benefit the maximum for your area, or is it calculated as a percentage of your rent? If it is a percentage of your rent, it should increase as your rent increases so the percentages remain the same.
Having your child over won't affect the housing benefit, (I don't think) but should reduce the amount of maintenance payable, which might offset the increased rent a little.
I have a feeling it's the maximum for my area, but I will phone the council and find out.
I don't pay any maintenance currently as I'm on benefits.
Cheers!
You might already know all this, but you might qualify for a few schemes to help with other utilities. The warm home discount that takes £120 of your electric bill each year. And the Watersure scheme that reduces your water rates to a lower flat rate, for example.
Thanks. I'm receiving the warm home discount. I don't think I'm eligible for the watersure scheme, as I don't pay on a meter.
Having your child stay won't increase your Housing Benefit entitlement unfortunately. I would definitely check the max LHA rate for a one bed property with your local council.
It's worth contacting your local CAB for details of a Welfare Rights organisation in your area and they should be able to advise you on any assistance you may be entitled to.
Also worth a look is Turn 2 Us, they have a benefits calculator and info on charitable organisations that might be able to help you.
I really feel for your situation, the LHA rates are falling far below the actual costs of privately rented properties these days and the government refuse to do anything to raise the LHA or cap rents. I'm in a similar position myself and it really isn't easy.
Good luck and let us know if we can help further.
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