SDP & HB or UC?
sky982
Online Community Member Posts: 30 Connected
Hi,
I currently live with family and am on ESA support group and PIP both components enhanced rate.
I am looking to move out and live alone in the same local authority but would need to claim housing benefit as I am looking to rent privately. I also know that in the legacy system this would mean I'd be entitled to the severe premium being added to my ESA, and also that because I'm under 35 but due to the severe premium that would make me exempt from the shared room rate?
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice about how to go about this, is it likely I'd be asked to claim UC at any point and if so how much less per week/month would that be?
Thanks
I currently live with family and am on ESA support group and PIP both components enhanced rate.
I am looking to move out and live alone in the same local authority but would need to claim housing benefit as I am looking to rent privately. I also know that in the legacy system this would mean I'd be entitled to the severe premium being added to my ESA, and also that because I'm under 35 but due to the severe premium that would make me exempt from the shared room rate?
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice about how to go about this, is it likely I'd be asked to claim UC at any point and if so how much less per week/month would that be?
Thanks
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HI and welcome,Firstly may i ask which ESA you're claiming, is it New style ESA, the old contributions based or Income Related? If you're not sure than how much per week do you receive and i maybe able to tell from that.0
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Hi Poppy,
It's the income-related.0 -
Thanks. If no one claims carers allowance or the carers element of Universal Credit for looking after you then you'll be able to claim the SDP. However, you'll need to wait until you've moved out to be able to do this. Once the SDP is in payment then you'll be able to claim housing benefit.As you have a PIP award then you'll be entitled to the 1 bedroom rate of local housing allowance, check what that is here. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/ This rate is given because you have a PIP award, not because of the SDP.
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Thank you Poppy, I have just one more question regarding council tax. When I did the benefits calculator it said I would be entitled to council tax reduction to the point that I would only be paying £2.67 a week (it was around that amount) does that sound about right? I wasn't sure if that was accurate.0
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You're welcome. You will be entitled to the 25% single person discount. The council tax reduction on top will depend on your local council because they are all different and i won't be able to advise with that.
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Thank you for your help. I think I will call my local council to check about the council tax reduction.0
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You're welcome. A benefit calculator is only as accurate as the information you put into them, so if you did that correctly the amount should be correct.The Government gave a lot of local councils more funding and from this they have been able to reduce people council tax more, so you may not have to pay anything.I used to pay about £11 per month but now i don't pay anything at all.0
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My local council have had some extra funding due to the Corona virus and said those of us on CTR don't have to pay for the rest of the year, and will even be refunded for the months we've already paid! I don't know how many councils are doing that, or how that works if you make a new claim, but it's something to be aware of.
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thank you both
whilst I'm here I may as well ask is there anything else I need to consider?
I know the steps are - sign the tenancy, apply for severe premium and then for housing benefit and council tax reduction, is there anything I'm missing?0 -
You'll need your tenancy agreement to be able to claim housing benefit. Oh and change your address with DWP for PIP and of course ESA. Can't think of anything else. Good luck with the move!
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Thank you Another thing, I saw that the block on people who are entitled to SDP from claiming UC is until Jan 2021. Does that mean after that time everyone will have to claim UC? Also how long does the transitional protection last and is the amount equivalent to esa support group/SDP/housing benefit much less on UC? 0
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It means that after January 2021, if you7 have a change of circumstances that prompts a move across then you'll need to claim UC.I don't know what the transitional protection will be but i wouldn't worry about that yet because it could potentially be a few years before we're asked to claim UC and start the managed migration.0
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It's just if I don't manage to move before that date is why I asked. I also have the issue of finding a private landlord that will lets to people on benefits! Am I right in thinking that if you rent privately the bedroom tax doesn't apply?0
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If you don't manage to move by January and you have to claim UC then managed migration won't apply because you would have naturally moved across. You won't be any worse off than you are now because the LCWRA element for UC (support Group ESA) pays more than ESA support group, without the SDP.The bedroom tax doesn't apply to privately renting. As you will be living alone then you'll be entitled to the 1 bedroom rate of Local housing allowance. Check here what that is by entering a postcode of the area you want. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/ The figured quoted in these is a weekly amount.
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If you claimed the SDP first for your ESA and then moved across to UC then you'll be entitled to an extra £120 per month in with your UC but won't receive the full SDP amount.
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I would be better off on UC now than on ESA but thats only because I don't currently have the SDP?
I calculated that on ESA with SDP its around £856 a month and LCWRA its £751?
So if I did move after January and had to claim UC I would be worse off because I wouldn't get the extra £120?
Sorry for so many questions, its all really confusing!0 -
Also is the UC housing element the same as HB LHA?0
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Yes, if you did move across and you weren't claiming the SDP then it would be less money but you won't be worse off if you've never claimed the SDP.HB is the same amount as Housing element of UC. There are some slightly different rules but for you they are the same. Use the link i provided above to see what you could claim.0
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ah yes makes sense. I may also have to consider renting in the city council rather than the county council (more option of places to rent) do you know if this will make any difference to any of the above? or just the same process of applying SPD then claiming housing b etc
thank you for all your help poppy I really do appreciate it!
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You're welcome. It doesn't make any difference, my advice is still the same.
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