Can I use LHA to help pay for halls? — Scope | Disability forum
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Can I use LHA to help pay for halls?

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Question1997
Question1997 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)
I'm a disabled student which Universal Credit is aware of so that part is fine. I'm currently private renting with LHA however the current environment I'm in is not conducive to learning, it's very hard to find a place that will rent to a young disabled person and I feel that halls would allow me to enage with my studie better.

On the Disability Rights website it alluded that I may be able to,


But when I asked amy work coach through my journal they said I wouldn't. I know that a lot of work coaches aren' always aware of the rights of disbled students so I thought I'd get a second opinion. 

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  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited April 2022
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    You could ask your Work Coach to explain what regulations s/he is referring to which they think prevents you getting help with rent in a hall.

    Have a look at this
    ADM Chapter F2: Housing costs element (publishing.service.gov.uk)

    I think the argument that could prevent you getting the housing element is if you are not treated as occupying a hall of residence as your home (see F2161 to F2164). Unfortunately the treatment of students is very unclear in respect of where they are considered to normally live even though it is clearly illogical to consider that you usually live in whatever accommodation you currently live in but will not usually live in a hall. One factor might be whether or not you still have use of your room in hall during the vacations or whether you are required to vacate. The latter would make the hall more of a temporary housing arrangement.

    Unfortunately there may not be a definite answer.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
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  • Question1997
    Question1997 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
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    Thanks for the advice. I'd be on a 51 week contract and this would be back to back, I'm not sure if that makes a difference. I will ask them as you've said and I'll mention that it's a 51 week contract
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 54,030 Disability Gamechanger
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    Please be aware that if you move out of where you're living now and into halls then when you need to find somewhere else to live it may not be that easy. Very few landlords accept benefit claimants now and those that will, are likely to ask for a guarantor.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
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