Hi, my name is vwyee! what is a sensible amount to charge a family member for rent etc?

vwyee

Hi

Does anyone know how much is the right amount/sensible amount to charge a family member who lives with them that has a disability, doesn't work and receives UC and PIP? What's right/fair? £100/£150 per week or is it just up to us decide? I'm talking about a room within the house with food supplied, share of utilities, driven around, helped with medical (albeit not considerable!) What do most people charge their son/daughter or other family member? I don't want to overcharge a family member, but it has to be fair both sides!

Ranald

Entirely up to you what you charge a family member. Do they help out at home for instance?

Are they saving for a housing deposit, do you need the extra money?

vwyee

Hi Ranald

The individual is an adult that lives at home and doesn't do any chores like cleaning/ironing/gardening etc.

As it stands not saving for a house and content living in the family home.

Every home has bills to pay and the more people, the higher the cost, I'm interested in what others do?

vwyee

I guess the universal credit is the part that can be used to pay bills such as rent contribution whereas PIP is for the individual?

Albus_Scope

Heya @vwyee and welcome to the community. 😁

There tends to be a lot of complexities that go into getting a fair figure and will vary from person to person. Though I'd say if they're not helping out with chores or anything like that and you're driving them around, then adding a service fee onto the rent wouldn't be too terrible in my books.
When I was unemployable, I was only able to claim UC, as the wait for PIP was so long, but I gave her 75% of my income. Then once I got backpay from PIP, the majority went to sis to make up my previous payments to £700 a month for rent with everything included. Though I was helping out where I could with cleaning, gardening etc.

Basically, I'd say charge them for room and board, with service fees, but make sure they still have some money for fun and you aren't left paying for everything. 😉 Look around at other rental properties and see what the going rate is near you, then work out a fair price from there. 😁

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

The problem here is that there is a specific element within UC to cover Housing Costs, but it can't be claimed by this person while living in a relatives house.

If they were living in someone else's house, they would get up to the shared rate of LHA for that, so the basic UC rate is just to cover bills and food.

I think the fairest way to do it in this case is to look at prices of other rooms to rent in your area. Then reduce that by maybe 10-20% as a family rate. Obviously if rents are very high in your area, and that would take a lot of this persons UC, then it would have to be reconsidered, but that seems like a good starting point to me.

WelshBlue

Our son pays £60 a week … food/ utilities and a mother spoiling him (but that's a sore issue … )

Where as one of her friend charges her two kids £600 each a month

We're too cheap and she is way too expensive … I'd rather less to get rid of him sooner 😃