What am i entitled to?

Sean4w

I am in a 1 bedroom flat property with the council, i was told usually I am only entitled to a shared room if under the age of 35 (i got passed this due to being in a homeless project under 18).

My question is, could i get a 2 bedroom house? I don't mind paying bedroom tax.

I have my kids on the weekend, my daughter is 9 in October and my son is 11 in April. They both sleep on my bed currently, and I sleep on the sofa.

There is just no room for another bed in the bedroom and they are getting to the age where they would need their own space. 

Im 31 and Single.

Thank you.

poppy123456

You could look for a privately rented property and then you can have as many bedrooms as you want but you'll need to pay the shortfall of rent. The only problem with this is finding a landlord that will accept a tenant claiming benefits, which is extremely difficult.

For social housing you will need to contact them to ask and if they allow it you will then be able to bid on 2 bedroom properties. If they refuse then you won't be able to bid. (assuming it's a bidding system for social housing)

Kimmy87

Generally within council housing the NRP wouldn't be entitled to anything other than a one bed, because the children are already classed as adequately housed with the resident parent.

And there are families with resident children deemed to be in greater need of bigger properties. Either due to the age/gender of children or because that family is living in homeless or temporary accommodation. 

No harm in looking at your local authorities policy, but it's doubtful. A Housing Association instead of council may be worth investigating, sometimes they are less strict with policy. 

You could also look at an exchange to a larger one bed council flat, which would give you a little more flexibility in terms of sleeping arrangements. 

newborn

Be realistic and plan to make the best of what you have, because it is virtually impossible you will get even more. Millions are homeless and millions more arrive every year, so your expectations must be modified, to being thankful you have a roof of any kind, let alone one with more than one room.

Above all, be glad you have a secure tenancy for life, and a rent a fraction of the true market rate, when 30 people are fighting even for a room in a shared house, and still the population grows.

You are to be congratulated on respecting your children's need to have some private space as they grow older. Your daughter could have the single bedroom, and  your son could sleep on a single bed or mattress, in the living room with you. You and he could perhaps construct a private den for him, working out some way he can screen or curtain off a corner, or better still,  partition a section of the living room.

By the way as you are realising, they are not really children much longer, so your daughter (even more than your son) will need to have her own lockable cupboard in the room which is yours for the week and hers for the weekend. Even your son would probably like to keep some private things locked in his den.

(Shared parenting is best for children, of course, but there is a drawback for them being nomads.   Their 'stuff' is constantly in the wrong place, or their friends are, or they have the wrong clothes.  The new popularity of having a 'nest' seems ideal for some situations, where the children stay where they are, and the parents take turns in staying with them, then returning to their own flats or rooms, or staying with their own parents or their friends or their new partners,  in the 'off-duty' times.)
  

Lou67

@Sean4w
Hi I just want to say I hope you manage to get some help getting a bigger property, I think with getting your kids every weekend will greatly improve your chances, and it’s definitely worth trying.

Don’t  giveup it’s great to see a dad wanting his kids every weekend after a family split, as there’s lots that don’t or can’t see their kids for one reason or another.

Good luck 

Sean4w

newborn said:

Be realistic and plan to make the best of what you have, because it is virtually impossible you will get even more. Millions are homeless and millions more arrive every year, so your expectations must be modified, to being thankful you have a roof of any kind, let alone one with more than one room.

  

I am being realistic, if you dont know please don't reply, my brother has 1 child not even every weekend and has a 2 bedroom flat with the council so its not impossible. I was more finding out what the entitlement is, with a house and i know its not impossible. I have disregarded the rest of the post.

And i am thankful, i was homeless 16-22.

Thanks everyone else.

Sean4w

Kimmy87 said:

Generally within council housing the NRP wouldn't be entitled to anything other than a one bed, because the children are already classed as adequately housed with the resident parent.

And there are families with resident children deemed to be in greater need of bigger properties. Either due to the age/gender of children or because that family is living in homeless or temporary accommodation. 

No harm in looking at your local authorities policy, but it's doubtful. A Housing Association instead of council may be worth investigating, sometimes they are less strict with policy. 

You could also look at an exchange to a larger one bed council flat, which would give you a little more flexibility in terms of sleeping arrangements. 

Thats exactly why i need a bigger space, im also disabled so its difficult to sleep on the sofa, and my kids are different genders getting to the age of puberty, so these are my reasons, if they need seperate bedrooms on their main house, they need it with my home too, its 3 days a week.

poppy123456

Sean4w said:

Kimmy87 said:

Generally within council housing the NRP wouldn't be entitled to anything other than a one bed, because the children are already classed as adequately housed with the resident parent.

And there are families with resident children deemed to be in greater need of bigger properties. Either due to the age/gender of children or because that family is living in homeless or temporary accommodation. 

No harm in looking at your local authorities policy, but it's doubtful. A Housing Association instead of council may be worth investigating, sometimes they are less strict with policy. 

You could also look at an exchange to a larger one bed council flat, which would give you a little more flexibility in terms of sleeping arrangements. 

Thats exactly why i need a bigger space, im also disabled so its difficult to sleep on the sofa, and my kids are different genders getting to the age of puberty, so these are my reasons, if they need seperate bedrooms on their main house, they need it with my home too, its 3 days a week.

Even having them for 3 days a week i think you'll struggle to get a place with more bedrooms from social or council housing because you're not the resident parent. You can of course privately rent and have as many bedrooms as you want but you'll need to pay the shortfall of rent yourself.

Sean4w

poppy123456 said:

Sean4w said:

Kimmy87 said:

Generally within council housing the NRP wouldn't be entitled to anything other than a one bed, because the children are already classed as adequately housed with the resident parent.

And there are families with resident children deemed to be in greater need of bigger properties. Either due to the age/gender of children or because that family is living in homeless or temporary accommodation. 

No harm in looking at your local authorities policy, but it's doubtful. A Housing Association instead of council may be worth investigating, sometimes they are less strict with policy. 

You could also look at an exchange to a larger one bed council flat, which would give you a little more flexibility in terms of sleeping arrangements. 

Thats exactly why i need a bigger space, im also disabled so its difficult to sleep on the sofa, and my kids are different genders getting to the age of puberty, so these are my reasons, if they need seperate bedrooms on their main house, they need it with my home too, its 3 days a week.

Even having them for 3 days a week i think you'll struggle to get a place with more bedrooms from social or council housing because you're not the resident parent. You can of course privately rent and have as many bedrooms as you want but you'll need to pay the shortfall of rent yourself.

As i said previously, my brother has a 2 bedroom flat as a single person with the council he has 1 child, that doesnt live with him. I was wondering about a house, but i think thats going to be a no. I cannot find private renting anywhere unfortunately right now on benefits.

Edit: I spoke to my brother and apparently he had the 2 bedroom because it was the only place available. he said he didn't mention his son. So your probably right, ill continue to search privately. 

poppy123456

The only problem with privately renting is that it’s more expensive than council or social housing. LHA for most areas doesn’t cover the whole rent. You will only be entitled to shared rate unless you have a PIP daily living award and then it would be 1 bedroom rate. You can check the rates for the areas you want here https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

Sean4w

poppy123456 said:

The only problem with privately renting is that it’s more expensive than council or social housing. LHA for most areas doesn’t cover the whole rent. You will only be entitled to shared rate unless you have a PIP daily living award and then it would be 1 bedroom rate. You can check the rates for the areas you want here https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

I am entitled to 1 bedroom rate, I have a 1 bedroom currently, this is because i was in care.

poppy123456

That may not apply if you move house now. The reason it applied at the time was because you were leaving care.

May I ask if you’re privately renting now or living in social housing? 

Sean4w

poppy123456 said:

That may not apply if you move house now. The reason it applied at the time was because you were leaving care.

May I ask if you’re privately renting now or living in social housing? 

Ive had more than one flat with the council but before this one i was homeless again and put in a bed and breakfast, so it maybe why.

I have a flat with the council.

poppy123456

Then the local housing allowance doesn’t apply. It only applies for those that are privately renting. If you have spare bedrooms then the bedroom tax will apply. (I know you don’t have spare bedrooms) 

If you move to privately rented property then the LHA will apply and you’ll only be entitled to the shared rate. Unless you have a PIP daily living award because you’re under 35. 

Sean4w

poppy123456 said:

Then the local housing allowance doesn’t apply. It only applies for those that are privately renting. If you have spare bedrooms then the bedroom tax will apply. (I know you don’t have spare bedrooms) 

If you move to privately rented property then the LHA will apply and you’ll only be entitled to the shared rate. Unless you have a PIP daily living award because you’re under 35. 

Your wrong, i have had multiple properties with the council because of my time in care, it doesn't matter if im okay now, i confirmed with the housing office. Please do your research, this isn't what i was asking. Im goign to believe them over someone on a forum. You can close this thread now. 

Community_Scope

Note from online community team:

Hello everyone,

We want this discussion to continue, but we’re concerned that things are becoming quite tense and could easily escalate.

Please remember that all discussions on Scope’s online community should remain civil, supportive, and safe.

We will continue to closely monitor this discussion, but if it escalates further, we may choose to pause, close, or even hide the discussion.

For more information, please read our online community house rules.

Hannah_Alumni

@Sean4w

We know it must be a stressful time for you, but everyone here is just trying to help with the best of their knowledge and ideas. If you do go down the private renting route, I would encourage you to reach out to Citizens Advice. They even have information pages on their website about private renting which may be helpful to read. 

poppy123456

Sean4w said:

poppy123456 said:

Then the local housing allowance doesn’t apply. It only applies for those that are privately renting. If you have spare bedrooms then the bedroom tax will apply. (I know you don’t have spare bedrooms) 

If you move to privately rented property then the LHA will apply and you’ll only be entitled to the shared rate. Unless you have a PIP daily living award because you’re under 35. 

Your wrong, i have had multiple properties with the council because of my time in care, it doesn't matter if im okay now, i confirmed with the housing office. Please do your research, this isn't what i was asking. Im goign to believe them over someone on a forum. You can close this thread now. 

I'm sorry but my advice isn't wrong, it's correct! I've also done my research, several years to be precise but thanks for telling me to do that. 

Local housing allowance applies only to privately rented properties. See link for full confirmation that my advice is indeed correct.

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/local_housing_allowance_lha_for_private_renters

Local housing allowance (LHA) is not a separate benefit.

Your LHA rate affects how much help you get when renting from a private landlord.

It is used to work out both:

• housing benefit

• universal credit housing element

Here's a link from House Of commons library that also confirms my advice is correct.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04957/