Bedroom tax

acvarl
acvarl Online Community Member Posts: 8 Listener
in Benefits and income

hi , we are on universal credit, and live in a 3 bedroom council house, one of my sons is moving out so we will have a spare bedroom , my husband is my carer , we are concerned about the bedroom tax, and how this will affect us please help

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  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 8,051 Championing
    edited January 11

    Your Housing Element will be reduced by 14%. So you will need to pay the shortfall.

    Unless you can demonstrate a genuine reason why you & your husband cannot share a bedroom due to your health condition. Or you receive regular & frequent overnight care from a non resident carer.

    Then Universal Credit might pay for the extra bedroom.

  • acvarl
    acvarl Online Community Member Posts: 8 Listener

    hi i have multiple sclerosis, and when times my son has gone away for work , or weekends away I have been using his bedroom, because I keep my husband awake , because of muscle spasms in my legs and twitching from pins and needles , how do I get this across do, I need to get medical proof , so worried about this many thanks Catherine

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 8,051 Championing
    edited January 11

    Once your son has moved out, you need to report the change to UC that he no longer lives with you. Do this on the day he moves out or asap afterwards (UC system can't deal with future changes).

    UC will only pay if you can't share a room, this does to be honest sound like an issue that sleeping in the same room but seperate single beds might solve.

    (I myself live alone and have a single bed, because I cannot manage a double on my own bedding wise etc, it's not worth the cost of paying for domestic help to do that for me)

    You could also consider downsizing to a smaller property, as in future when your other son leaves you will be in the same situation again (unless at that point both you & husband are state pension age).

    If you want to try getting the room paid for now, once your son has left you would need to send a Journal message (using the payment option) requesting that the spare bedroom be paid for by UC, outlining the reasons you cannot share a room. If they want any proof they will ask for it.

    If they do not agree to pay for the bedroom, there are further steps you can take

    Step 1

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/problems-with-your-payment/challenging-a-universal-credit-decision-mandatory-consideration/

    Step 2 (if they don't change the decision).

    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/problems-with-your-payment/appealing-a-universal-credit-decision-at-a-tribunal/

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