Housing Costs proof

Yoha23

I just came out of long stay  Hospital , I applied for Hosing Costs , the journal said to upload before the 20th April proof of housing costs if not I won't get paid .
Asked : payments and proof of address and as PoA, utility bill....or landlord letter etc. I don't exactly recall.

I uploaded on the 18th of April ,bank receipts of rent and deposit and the Lodger Agreement that the ''dodgy'' landlord gave me ( he doesn't live in the property nor he knows I have a disability ) .

Checked UC journal on the 21st and nothing mentioned about payments or so then I called on the 21st asking about when money will be paid and how much bcs I'm afraid about the 1st of May ,( my payments are due on the 13th , I notified my change of circumstances on the 6th of April before the date limit of the assessment period , starting my tenancy on the 1st of April ) on my next due rent payment that is quite high .

The UC person who answered the phone told me she will put a note for my coach or whatever is called ( I'm on LCWR) to answer before the 24th, someone replied today same day 21st from some type of UC center saying my Housing Cost has not yet being checked ( so not approved ) when it will be I will be paid accordingly or something like that.

I'm totally in the dark new to my disability and new to UC , just walking in the dark without any support of any type in any way,

Hospital has proven useless as in medical terms ( health carers are the ones who bear the burden but doctors and nurses in my case were the first average the second mediocre)  
Social Services not to mention I'm really scared/ afraid of them , I'm and feel so alone as I do not have any family support , that I just found this community and it's my first post , because I will like to get help with UC as I'm afraid they become picky or late to deal with my claim as I uploaded my Lodger Agreement as a proof of Address because I do not have any other bill or else.

thanks before hand 

Yoha23

yes I uploaded the printed lodger agreement with address, name , date, monthly price , deposit , condition it's just 1 page printed lodger agreement , signature and witness 

poppy123456

I commented on your thread yesterday but then oddly it disappeared. Here's my comment.

As you're privately renting if you're single and under 35 you'll be entitled to the shared rate of local housing allowance, unless you have either a PIP daily living award or mid/high rate care DLA and then you'll be entitled to 1 bedroom rate.

If over 35 then and single you'll be entitled to the 1 bedroom rate, regardless of whether you have a PIP/DLA award. You can check the rates here. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

If you receive your UC payment on 13th of every month then your assessment periods will be 7th to 6th of every month so the housing element will be included from the assessment period in which you reported the changes.

This means you won't receive your housing element payment until 13th May, for assessment period 7th April to 6th May. You will receive your statement about 4 days before your payment is due next month. This should be plenty of time for them to include the housing element on your statement. (if awarded)

They will owe you 1 month for assessment period March/April but they will need to recalculate that statement before it's paid. It will be paid separately to your usual monthly money and may take a few weeks to pay it.

However, i wouldn't expect you to have a lodgers agreement if you LL doesn't live with you.

Yoha23

Thanks Poppy, 2 more questions , do you think the ''lodger'' status will be an excuse for UC to delay first payment ? I understand that any landlord's written paper can be used as a Tenancy agreement . I do not want to entangle in a tik & tok blah blah and bloh bloh with the landlord to change the status . What can I do if they UC brings forward the Lodger argument ?
Also the separate payment of March/April few weeks assessment'  delay what should I do during the delay if it takes too long ? 

Thanks for your advice B4 hand

poppy123456

All you need is proof of eligibility to pay rent so a lodgers shouldn't make any difference. It's not unsual for any money owed to take quite a few weeks to pay it. If you don't receive a letter on your journal in the next few weeks you can put a message onto your journal under the payment section and ask about your housing element for March/April assessment period.

Please note that before they can pay what is owed your last statement will need to be recalculated. Once this is done you'll receive a letter on your journal telling you how much is owed and it will be paid into your bank.

You will need to use the LHA calculator that i provided above to check what rate you're entitled to. Any shortfall of rent will need to be paid yourself.