Housing Benefit

fisherman
fisherman Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
edited July 2022 in Benefits and income
Does any anyone know if the income calculations for housing benefit are likely to change because in the calculations they give you a figure of the amount you need to live on but with Energy prices rising over double my figure has not changed

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    The bills you have to pay are not taken into consideration for entitlement to any means tested benefits.
  • fisherman
    fisherman Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    When they work out the figure that you need to live on they must have to take the average cost of running a household otherwise how do they come to this figure
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    edited July 2022
    No, that's not what they do, it has nothing to do with "average cost of running a household." Entitlement to any means tested benefits depends on your circumstances. For example a single person would be entitled to less money than a couple with children.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    fisherman said:
    When they work out the figure that you need to live on they must have to take the average cost of running a household otherwise how do they come to this figure
    They don't. A figure was set many years ago and, to the best of my knowledge, have only ever been revised based on reference to rate of inflation except when the government froze benefits for a number of years therefore reducing the value of benefits. and
    In addition currently maximum housing benefit levels for private renters allowances are frozen too.
  • shelleypt
    shelleypt Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Look up local housing allowance in your council website this will give you the figure they will pay for private rent. Sorry I'm not sure how they work out council/housing associations rents
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    shelleypt said: Sorry I'm not sure how they work out council/housing associations rents
    They get their full rent unless they have more bedrooms than they are allowed based on the household occupancy in which case they are subject to the 'bedroom tax'.

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