renting rooms to friend / carer

beatles78

Hi, I'm trying to get some advice regarding renting room(s) to friend(s) to assist me with my day to day living and caring for me overnight.

Current Situation

I currently get ESA (support group with premiums) and PIP (Standard rate on both as I couldn't cope with appealing) due to mental health problems and disability. I struggle to leave the house alone and often wake up distressed so i need support to calm me down. I am currently relying on a lot of different friends to watch over me, normally they manage a night a week each but its awkward for them to travel so much. I have a couple of spare bedrooms which i don't currently use.

Proposed Situation

I'd like to know if I rent room(s) to a couple of my friends so they don't have to travel all the time and be at hand to care for me more.
One friend works full time and so wouldn't be able to help during the day but can still help with the night time and weekend care and I have another friend who is currently on ESA (work group, no premiums) that helps during the day and some nights.

I would loose my 25% single occupancy council tax discount as i wouldn't live alone anymore but I am uncertain how my esa would be affected and if just renting 1 room out would affect me differently to renting 2 rooms out and if i just gave the rooms away would i be affected ?

poppy123456

Hi,

If you're claiming the SDP in with your ESA because you live alone or classed as living alone and no one claims carers allowance for looking after you then you would lose this SDP, which is £65.85 per week, as well as the council tax single person discount.