Stopping housing benefit

solitarypants

Hi 
my daughter is due to start a new better paid job in the next few weeks….. 
(we get esa and some hb but she pays the shortfall in rent and c/tax)
she’ll earn too much for any hb and c/tax benefit, 
can I just stop my claim for those!? Rather than sending in payslips etc ? No point going through all that palarva for a £0 entitlement! 

Kind regards 
sp 

Albus_Scope

Hi @solitarypants (I love that name btw) and congratulations to your daughter for the new job, that's great news!  

I'd recommend leaving a note on your UC journal explaining she'll be starting a new job soon and they'll be able to advise on the best way of doing things. 

solitarypants

Hi 
thanks for ur reply
we’re on legacy benefits !  
Sp

poppy123456

You can stop the claim at anytime. Are you also aware that if you claim Universal Credit, the non dependent deductions are a lot more generous for this than they are for housing benefit.

For UC and housing element the non dependent deductions are a standard rate of £85.73/month, regardless of earnings, if the non dependent is 21 or over.

If they are under 21 then there's no deductions. For this reason it would be worth using a benefits calculator to check entitlement to UC. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator

If you're in the Support Group for ESA then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. Please make sure you tick the box in the calculator where it asks which group you're in. 

See link and scroll down to Universal Credit and it will give information about non dependent deductions. non-dependants

solitarypants

Hi @poppy123456
thanks for ur reply!! 

So I would write to them to tell them??
 

Yes I’m aware of the allowances on UC
but I’m very dubious about claiming it from legacy as I’ve heard soooo many horror stories about issues etc!  
Plus I’d need to save up so I have money while they assess us! At least if the migrate us then we get the payments as usual!? 

Sp 

poppy123456

solitarypants said:

Hi @poppy123456
thanks for ur reply!! 

So I would write to them to tell them??
 

Yes I’m aware of the allowances on UC
but I’m very dubious about claiming it from legacy as I’ve heard soooo many horror stories about issues etc!  
Plus I’d need to save up so I have money while they assess us! At least if the migrate us then we get the payments as usual!? 

Sp 

Yes, of course you will only hear the bad stories. Many people claim UC without any issues. Your thoughts on the "assess you" are not correct. When you claim UC your ESA will continue for 2 weeks and then any Income Related you're claiming will stop. 

As I advised in my previous comment, if you're in the Support Group for ESA then you'll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. This means you will not need another work capability assessment. These rules apply what ever your reasons are for claiming. 

Once you submit your claim your first payment will be 1 month and 6 days later. You will receive ESA for 2 weeks. You can request an advance payment of UC while you wait for your first payment. However, that does need to be repaid back from future payments. 

In my opinion because the deductions for housing benefit and non dependents are so high, claiming UC is a very obvious plus point. 

For your housing benefit to stop you can just ring them. 

solitarypants

@poppy123456

I’ll speak to hubby as it’s his claim, he’s of the attitude of “not to rock the boat”
🤷‍♀️
so I think at the mo, I’ll stop my hb claim the day she starts the new job and save up so we don’t have to get a loan off of them !! 

But I’ll deffo speak to hubby see what he says
sp

solitarypants

@poppy123456
another thought popped into my head! 

Re council tax and uc!
would she have to pay full council tax too if / when we moved to uc??? 

Thanks so much for ur advice by the way!!! 

poppy123456

You’re welcome. I’m afraid I can’t advise with council tax reduction because all local Authorities have their own rules. 

solitarypants

@poppy123456
ahhhh ok!! Makes sense!! 

Thanks so much for ur help!!!!! 

I’ve sort of spoken to hubby he’s under the impression he’ll get re assessed and they not give it to him although I’ve told him they won’t and that he is actually ill enough for esa!!! 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
I’ll speak to him again!
 Either way UC is coming our way at some point!!!  

Sp

solitarypants

@poppy123456
sorry to keep asking silly questions ! 

But are legacy benefits paid in arrears?? 

So we get a payment tomorrow (Tuesday) if I were to put in a claim for if on Wednesday would I still get a payment for esa on the 19th?? 

Sp

Kimmy87

Yes legacy benefits are paid two weeks in arrears. 

solitarypants

@Kimmy87
so I would get a payment on the 19th?? If I applied for UC on the 6th??
many thanks 
sp

solitarypants

Also would uc want proof of daughters new income ? A payslip???

poppy123456

You will likely receive part payment for the payment due on 19th March. It will really depend on the dates your next payment is paid up until. 

The non dependent deductions for UC are a standard amount, unlike housing benefit so they most likely will not ask for payslips from your daughter. 

bookrabbit

They might pay you too much. When I swapped from tax credits to Universal Credit they paid me an extra week of tax credits which they have just taken back. 

poppy123456

bookrabbit said:

They might pay you too much. When I swapped from tax credits to Universal Credit they paid me an extra week of tax credits which they have just taken back. 

Tax credits are completely different to Income Related ESA. The ESA continues for 2 weeks once you claim UC. 

Its not unusual to have an overpayment for Tax credits when you claim UC.