How do I make my bedroom entitlement official?

DeeDee3542

Hello everyone, I am sorry but I am a little confused. I am disabled and recieve UC with LCFW and also high rate daily living and high rate mobility PIP. I currently live in a 2 bedroom house with my 13 year old Autistic daughter who also cannot share a room because of her own disabled needs. 

I am looking to do a mutual exchange as my mum is currently staying here with us in order to care for me 5 nights per week and I am hoping to exchange to a 3 bed so that she can have her own room when she stays as staying on my sofa is a strain on my mum who is already caring for me. My mum also works full time so I don’t think she can apply for carers allowance as she earns too much so this makes me wonder how we would go about proving to them that she is my carer.  

How do I go about making the need for a a bedroom for her as my carer official ie. Do I need to apply to universal credit for this first and just resend all my medical evidence or would I just need to tell the social housing landlord when the exchange paperwork is put through? 

Sorry all these changes to the benefit systems have me quite confused. 

Thank you in advance for any advice. 

Dee

Alex_Alumni

Hello there @DeeDee3542 and thanks for reaching out, I'm afraid this isn't my area of expertise, so I can't advise at the moment, but you are always welcome to contact the Scope Helpline by phone or email to chat to one of our advisers. 

How are you all doing at the moment?

poppy123456

For the extra bedroom entitlement with housing element of UC then you can report a change od circumstances on your journal and tell them you need an extra bedroom for a carer.

For your house exchange then you will very likely need to send evidence to your landlord as to why the extra bedroom is needed.

DeeDee3542

Thank you both for your replies. I understand now. We are okay thank you. I hope you’re okay too 😊 
@poppy123456 could I please ask what sort of evidence you think they may ask for here? 

Thank you again. 

poppy123456

I don’t think they ask for evidence for the housing element. They may ask for evidence for the 3 bed house but you will need to speak to your Landlord regarding that. 

DeeDee3542

Thank you, I feel a bit better about all this now. I will speak to my landlord and contact uc with a change of circumstances. Thanks again. 

L_Volunteer

Have you been able to speak to these people yet @DeeDee3542? If so, I am wondering if you would like to share a little more with us about how this has gone for you and if there's anything else we can do to help