nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

How to qualify for two bedroom

filifou

I’m a 47 year old single woman on UC + LCWRA & PIP both standard level

I have functional neurological disorder with many symptoms - I’m prone to falls / getting lost as well as extreme fatigue & brain fog

I was served a section 21 and now have to find a new flat I’m well supported by benefits financially but 1 bedroom flats are extremely expensive in comparison to 2 bedroom flats just a couple hundred more

How can I qualify to get a 2 bedroom agreed ? I’m getting help from council looking for a flat but they don’t allow 2 bedrooms even if I can afford it with my benefits

Thanks

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

poppy123456

It's extremely difficult to be housed with social/council housing for more bedrooms than you need because this would be under occupancy.

If you're living in social/council housing then local housing allowance (LHA) doesn't apply. With a bedroom place you would be entitled to all of your rent paid. If you had a spare bedroom then the bedroom tax would apply and your housing element would be reduced by 14%.

LHA only applies if you're privately renting.

filifou

thanks - my situation is different I am trying to find a private rental council help try talking to agents but the council says they can only speak to listings for one bedroom and not two

When I look into having a disability pip + lcwra you can be entitled to have a spare bedroom

How does that work ?

filifou

also universally credit doesn’t limit or tax your bedroom -not sure

filifou

or how can one qualify overnight care

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/883956#Comment_883956

You seem rather confused. If you're privately renting then you can have as many bedroom as you want but you need to pay any shortfall of rent yourself. You're only limited with the bedrooms if in social housing. However, it may not be easy to find a landlord that will accept someone claiming benefits because the majority of the time they just refuse. If you're lucky enough to find one they may ask for a guarantor.

For an extra bedroom entitlement with housing element of UC then if you need regular overnight care you maybe able to claim an extra bedroom. However, a decision maker for UC will not be able to make a decision on that before you move house. You would need to wait until you're living in the new property before you can put In a claim.

For bedroom tax, this applies to social/council housing tenants if they have a spare bedroom and yes it applies to housing element of UC.

Have you put your name down on the housing list for social/council housing?

Are you also aware that a section 21 doesn't mean you have to move out by that date. A landlord can't evict you, only a court can do this. Please make sure you have somewhere to live before moving out. If you move out without somewhere to live your local authority may refuse to help you for making yourself homeless.

filifou

thanks again it is good to know that I can ask for the uc second bedroom element after I move in.

I’m actually living in a two bedroom at the moment but - I guess I can’t ask for it as I never disclosed it was a two bedroom to begin with ( as at the time I was needlessly confused about bedroom tax)

so the councils single homeless prevention or the housing options office tries to convince landlords or agents by offering incentive to landlords (as far as I understand) they also pay the first month & deposit

But they don’t accept the two bedroom flats….on the other hand The agents who work with the council tries to abuse the system by charging £1440pcm for basic bedsits ;(

So if I was asssesed for 2 bedrooms BY UC then the council probably would accept to help ? 🤷🏻‍♀️

filifou

putting name down for social housing has also become a problem :/

filifou

I am having an issue with getting on a housing register - I originally thought it was done in 2022 - when I was under single homeless prevention Islington - we spoke about it in emails with case worker but I don’t have proof of submission
now they say the rules have changed because I no longer live in Islington but also have not lived long enough in tower hamlets Even though up until April Islington’s requirements said - you should have spent 3 out of last 5 years in Islington Which does apply to me I’m going to write to the head of housing register .. apparently they can use their discretion My risking homelessness and disabilities maybe taken into consideration So my question on this issue is a) is there any office that can help with getting on the housing register ?B) if not do you have any tips or advise that I should include in my letter etc.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/883971#Comment_883971

The last sentence in this comment, the only issue here is that this isn't possible because UC can't accept a change of circumstances before it happens.

Do you have a shortfall of rent where you're living at the moment? It doesn't matter that they don't know you live in a 2 bed flat because they didn't need to know anyway. It won't be backdated but it maybe possible to claim for your current flat going forward, at least until you move out. When you move out into your next place you will need to make sure you claim the extra bedroom then as well.

For the housing register where you used to live, do you have a local connection to that area? family, friends? If so then you maybe able to add you name based on that. If you don't whether they would add it based on potential homelessness, I don't know, you would need to speak to them to ask. All local Authorities for social housing have their own rules.

filifou

thank you 🙏🏽 yes I do have a short fall maybe I should speak up.

Housing register is a bit elusive .. but also writing to all these offices separately is exhausting- when I have very limited energy

filifou

Dear Poppy im a bit worried about letting DWP know aboutmy second bedroom now - because i also have been topping up the rent out of my own pocket (as my other benefits especially disability was enough to cover) and i didnt know that i wouldnt have been subjected to deduction -(ie bedroom tax) as this was private tenancy..

So if i tell them my original amount of rent now.. would i not go into trouble ? even though if anything that only meant that i was underpaid ..

I called pip to find if i qualify for a carer like i was told i was by the person who made my applications.. but pip said i need to ask council..

i only have friend who care (informally )my issues are anxiety, stress forgetfullness ,extreme fatigue - so sometimes not more than once or twice in a week someone comes to sleepover.. i feel safer. other times to help with tidying up and checking on and reminding if im on top of things.. that is all ..does that constitute for caring ? I do not need help with dressing or bathing sort of things. and i never paid anyone for these help other than a cleaning lady who comes once a week.

poppy123456

Bedroom tax (for spare bedrooms) doesn't apply to you because you are privately renting. It only applies to someone renting from either social or council housing. When privately renting LHA applies so it doesn't matter if there's any spare bedrooms.

There's nothing to worry about because you were claiming what you were entitled to, which was 1 bedroom. As I advised, when you're privately renting you can have as many bedrooms as you want. Asking for an extra bedroom for a carer isn't going to affect your UC in a bad way. The decision maker will either say yes or no.

There's some information here in this link if you scroll towards the bottom. You need regular overnight care to be entitled to the extra bedroom. https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/benefits/how_many_bedrooms_you_can_claim_benefits_for

I wouldn't advise you to ring any DWP department to ask for any advice like this because they are not benefits advisors. They are call centre staff who have very little benefits knowledge other than to read from a screen.

filifou

risking sounding like im stupid here :) so are you saying it wont matter that per se I stated my rent was £1300 when it originally was £1600 …

filifou

also thank you for sending the link.. I guess I need to understand what constitues as regular overnight care and whether or not the care i receive informally from friends counts

if i understand correctly being disabled and receiving daily living component from PIP and LCWRA alone doesnt qualify me for a second bedroom as I live alone

poppy123456

I'm a little confused why you said your rent was £1,300 when It was £1,600. Did you provide a tenancy agreement because it would usually say on this how much your rent is. If your housing element doesn't cover the whole rent amount anyway even at the lower amount then it doesn't matter. However, you should always be honest and tell them exactly how much rent you're liable for.

For an extra bedroom for a carer LCWRA is irrelevant. It's your daily living part of PIP that could qualify you for this. Living alone is also irrelevant.

filifou

OK so i wont tell them about my rent as i wasnt completely honest out of stupidity.. i misunderstood bedroom tax etc..

So i think it is best to keep it that way for the moment :( I wish I knew about these at the time.

So my daily living (standard )PIP is what allows me to a second bedroom ?

or my daily living (standard )PIP is what allows me to a carer?

filifou

I said it was 1300 because the maximum amount was 1284 and my case worker said they wouldnt help if it was more than 1350 .. at the time i had no pip either so friends were helping and i was subletting to make up for the difference.. now i understand it was a bit stupid and unnecessary

poppy123456

What your case worker advised you was misleading. You would have still been entitled to the same amount of rent even if you told them exactly how much it was because you're entitled to the 1 bedroom rate. If you apply for the extra bedroom then you would need to tell them how much your rent actually is. You can check here what your maximum entitlement would be for 2 bedrooms. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk

Daily living part of PIP can qualify you for an extra bedroom for a carer if you need regular overnight care. It doesn't matter that you don't pay this person. Please see link I posted .

filifou

Thank you Poppy !

i wish i had this level of informative support at the beginning. unfortunately i received a lot of misleading information even if the advisors meant well to best of their knowledge.

the link says im entitled to £412 which is great

but i cant tell them how much my rent actually is now.. because it will be obvious that lied at the beginning regardless of my reason ..and the fact that i didnt get overpaid at all ..

poppy123456

You're welcome. Is that £412/week for the 2 bedroom rate for the area you live? Did you also check what the 1 bedroom rate is? This will then tell you if the amount you're receiving at the moment is correct.

When you provided proof of liability to pay rent did it mention what your rent actually was on that? Usually a tenancy agreement will state how much your rent is.