am i entitled to housing benefit? — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

am i entitled to housing benefit?

pabab22
pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
edited December 2021 in Benefits and financial support
hi guys I'm currently living with my landlady who I and my dad are renting from, I rent a small room, I'm looking to move on soon, but I have claimed housing benefit but wasn't given much of an explanation why I couldn't have it, I'm 36 on ESA support group and pip, the rent is going up to 400 and I'm paying out of my pip and ESA, can I not get housing benefit, I'm looking to get my own place very soon and I think I'm entitled to the single bedroom rate of local housing allowance,  am I entitled to housing benefit now and when I move into my own place? and how much? thank you so much!
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
«1

Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    No one can make a new claim for Housing Benefit unless they are in supported accommodation. Housing Benefit has been replaced by Universal Credit.
    If you want help with rent you have to claim Universal Credit. This will end any income based ESA entitlement you have. Any contribution based ESA will continue but will reduce the amount of UC payable.
    You are correct, for UC you will be entitled to housing support to a maximum of the applicable one bedroom LHA rate.
    In your existing situation are you and dad renting rooms separately or renting one room together?
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    hi calcotti thanks so much for your response, me and my dad live in separate rooms thank you so much very helpful!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    pabab22 said:
    hi calcotti thanks so much for your response, me and my dad live in separate rooms thank you so much very helpful!
    UC is actually more generous than Housing Benefit because on Housing Benefit you would only get a maximum of the shared room rate in your existing situation.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    calcotti you have been so helpful, thank you I will look into it a bit more and check options thanks again! 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @pabab22, I hope you are doing well :) 

    I'm glad that the advice provided above has been helpful for you, let us know if anything else comes up and best of luck with the prospective move.
    Online Community Coordinator

    Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.

    Did you receive a helpful reply to your discussion? Fill out our feedback form and let us know about it.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    hello ross, yes great info very helpful, thank you so much, i hope you are well too!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm very well indeed @pabab22, thank you for asking :) 
    Online Community Coordinator

    Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.

    Did you receive a helpful reply to your discussion? Fill out our feedback form and let us know about it.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    Hi everyone I found two properties, and I asked for viewing, I just wanted to double-check in the current situation I'm in can i have help with my rent from housing benefit through esa, hi @calcotti you mentioned i could get the maximum of the shared room rate in my current situation, can I get this on esa I read I could get £74 but not sure,i know you said universal credit are more generous but i thought i would claim for that when i get my own place, can anybody help thank you!  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    pabab22 said:.. in the current situation I'm in can i have help with my rent from housing benefit through esa, hi @calcotti you mentioned i could get the maximum of the shared room rate in my current situation, can I get this on esa ..
    As already advised, as you are not already claiming Housing Benefit
    calcotti said:
    No one can make a new claim for Housing Benefit unless they are in supported accommodation. Housing Benefit has been replaced by Universal Credit.
    If you want help with rent you have to claim Universal Credit. 

    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2021
    Can we clarify your existing housing situation. You and your dad live in the same house with your landlady. You each rent a separate room. Are you lodgers sharing facilities with the landlady? Do you have a lodger agreement which just covers your room and your dad has a separate agreement?
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    hi @calcotti sorry yes me and my dad are lodgers and we both have a separate agreement and have separate rooms the landlady i pay with my esa is a council tenant, we share facilities,the landlady has an agreement with the council and she has told them i pay her, sorry for the confusion, 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2021
    Because you and your father have separate agreements I think you are not counted as living together for benefits purposes. This means that you are treated as living alone and, if you are not already getting it, you should speak to ESA about having the Severe Disability Premium added to your ESA. Explain the situation fully and clearly so they can decide whether or not you are entitled.

    Do that first. If SDP is added to your ESA then if you claim UC you will get an additional SDP transitional element in your UC entitlement provided you are still treated as living alone when you claim UC.

    Do you anticipate that your move will take place soon, do you think your rent will be higher and will you will Living on your own.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    thank you so much @calcotti you have been a great help, many thanks!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    hi @calcotti thanks I'm hoping I get a viewing soon and hopefully I will move, but really not sure i sent a message to two landlords yesterday but had no reply, but I'm crossing my fingers, i think my rent will be more, and yes i will be living on my own! thank you. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    Please take note of what I have said about SDP (if you are not already getting it).
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    @calcotti I definitely will thank you  so much 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    hi @calcotti i spoke to ESA they were polite and said by what I had told them that i was correct and should be receiving SDP, they then said i would need to provide them with the agreement i have with my landlady, do you know if i have to get written proof or can my landlady write a letter, they told me to send an ad on letter regarding my SDP to an ESA Freepost address which deals with sdp and tell them why their decision was wrong, i done another post about sdp in my discussions and claimed and was told im not entitled, but never recieved a letter, they told me when i phoned them, does this sound right to you ? also i have been recieving esa since around 2012 previous to this i was on income support and also recieving dla before moving onto p.i.p, i have proof of this with many letters, i was told i could get some backdated pay is this true? as this would help with a deposit for when i move into my own place and go on to uc,any advice would be great thank you.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2021
    When I asked if you had and you confirmed that you have separate agreements I understood you to have a written agreement with your landlady. If you are a lodger you should have a formal agreement with her. If you haven’t then you will have to see if a letter will do.

    If they accept that you have been entitled to SDP for awhile then you will get arrears but proving your previous living arrangements will be difficult.

    Afraid I don’t understand the middle of your post. Are you saying you previously applied for SDP and were refused? I can’t comment on that but it may have been for lack of supporting evidence,
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pabab22
    pabab22 Community member Posts: 49 Connected
    edited July 2021
    @calcotti yes it is formal  that's what i was trying to work out  thanks I wasn't sure of the correct term,  i was  previously refused and yes it was because of lack of evidence, so ill try a letter from her to thank you so much 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2021
    pabab22 said:
    @calcotti yes it is formal  that's what i was trying to work out  thanks I wasn't sure of the correct term,  i was  previously refused and yes it was because of lack of evidence, so ill try a letter from her to thank you so much 
    If you have a formal written agreement I don't understand why you need a letter, supply a copy of the agreement. 
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Brightness

Categories

Do you need advice on your energy costs?


Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.