Hello advice please

Wendella

My friend has many dissabilities, has been a cancer patient, has bone loss in her knees etc and difficulties in walking. She is unable to type here because of pain in her hands.   

She has full benefits and currently rents an adapted 2 bedroom house and gets paid all the extra benefits to entitle her to having the extra bedroom. 

She wants to rent the 2nd bedroom out to another friend of hers as she would like extra financial support. She wants to know if this is ok? 

Thanks for any advice. 

poppy123456

What benefits does she claim exactly? She will need permission from her landlord before she rents the room out.

Wendella

She gets all the enhanced dissability benefits, extra room allowance etc

poppy123456

Enhanced disability benefits makes me think she claims PIP. Does she claim housing benefit for help with her rent or Universal Credit? I can't give the correct advice without know exactly what benefits she's claiming. If you're not sure then you'll need to ask her or she'll need to speak to an advice agency near her for advice.

Wendella

Yes she hets full housing benefits and PIP. She gets enough to cover her full rent which is £450

Wendella

The extra room is so that she can have an overnight carer if needed. She has never used that service but wanted to rent the room that a carer is meant to use if needs be. I thought that wasn't allowed .. but she wanted me to check for her.  

poppy123456

When claiming housing benefit the first £20/week from the lodger is ignored, after this the remainder will be classed as income and affect her housing benefit. If meals are included then 50% of the anything over £20 is also ignored.

If she currently claims the single person discount in her council tax then this would also stop, unless the person is a full time student. More information here. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/renting-a-home/subletting-and-lodging/lodging-index/taking-in-a-lodger-what-you-need-to-think-about-first/

She would also need permision from her landlord before taking on the lodger.

Wendella

Thanks for that! Would it also affect be benefits? because that 2nd room is meant for a carer

poppy123456

It would affect her housing benefit as i explained above.