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Are PIP, Carers Allowance and Income Support? affected by housing?

GothOnWheels

Currently I am trying to get accessable housing, but the only way in my area is to have higher PIP, I am waiting to hear back a decision. My housing situation is dire and my parents have insinuated that if worst came to worst they would buy me a bungalow.

Would living in a home owned by a family member, without living with them and possibly not having to pay rent, affect my current benefits? I know it would affect housing benefit as thats specifically for rent (and i know they don't award it for renting from family as my aunty looked into it) and i would obvs look uo the council tax rules, but I'm unsure about the rest.

any help with an answer or where to look is apreciated (I will obvs phone PIP myself next week if i can't find the answer myself)

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poppy123456

Hi,

PIP, Income Support and carers allowance won't be affected. You won't be able to claim housing benefit. Council tax reduction can be claimed from your local council and if you'll live alone then you'll receive a 25% discount for being a single person.

GothOnWheels

@poppy123456 Thank you

I didn't think it was likely PIP and carers would be but wasn't as sure about Income as that ones affected by other stuff that PIP and carers aren't. The PIP is mine and the Carers/Income is my fiance's so the living alone wouldn't apply, but the council tax reduction thing would still be good due to our circumstances. I'll contact the council we are hoping to move to and see what their rules are.

Yadnad

GothOnWheels said:

Currently I am trying to get accessable housing, but the only way in my area is to have higher PIP, I am waiting to hear back a decision. My housing situation is dire and my parents have insinuated that if worst came to worst they would buy me a bungalow.

Would living in a home owned by a family member, without living with them and possibly not having to pay rent, affect my current benefits? I know it would affect housing benefit as thats specifically for rent (and i know they don't award it for renting from family as my aunty looked into it) and i would obvs look uo the council tax rules, but I'm unsure about the rest.

any help with an answer or where to look is apreciated (I will obvs phone PIP myself next week if i can't find the answer myself)

There is nothing stopping you renting a property which is owned by a family member (parents in your case). Also it is quite possible to claim housing benefit in order that the rent is paid over to your parents if you are on low income.

What is important is that the agreement (tenancy contract) is made out on a commercial basis (think, what would your parents do if they rented out the property to a complete stranger). Provided that this contract fulfils all of the normal landlord/tenant obligations and conditions, then the council would have to accept that it is a tenancy created at arms length and therefore one for which housing benefit can be paid.

It is a subject that you need to go into depth with and would suggest that you seek advice at Shelter or maybe the CAB.

GothOnWheels

@Yadnad oooh i'll tell my parents that as my aunty was told she couldn't rent from family - but they may have meant in an informal sense, as my parents are landlords already so know about how to do the professional contracts and stuff

thank you

Misscleo

Very sound advice yet again.
Its wonderful to see people helping others out.

poppy123456

The only thing to be aware of is if you're not already claiming housing benefit, or if you are and you move to a different local council if that area is a full Universal credit area you'll have to claim that, not housing benefit.

If you're already claiming housing benefit and you stay with the same local council then you can continue to claim housing benefit.