UC and housing costs

CharlieRose256 · July 2023

Hi all, long time no see

I'm looking for some advice or guidance on how the housing element of UC works - me and my brother are considering moving in together to privately rented property and him claiming UC and careers allowance (I fulfil the prerequisites for him to apply for it). My question is, if we moves in together, as joint tenants, and separate UC accounts (obviously - because we are not a couple, that would be extremely weird and illegal), would we get the housing element of UC together or jointly?

I qualify for the one bed rate of local housing allowance rates
He qualifies for shared accomadation local housing allowance rates

Say we wanted to rent in Southern Greater Manchester BRMA, would we get

£149.59 per week for both of us; or

£120.82 per week for me and
£82.81 per week for him = £203.63 overall between the two of us

Many thanks in advance

calcotti · July 2023

As joint tenants you will each be taken as liable for half the rent.

You will get half the rent or the 1 bedroom rate (whichever is lower).

He will get half the rent or the shared bedroom rate (whichever is lower).

CharlieRose256 · July 2023

calcotti said:

As joint tenants you will each be taken as liable for half the rent.

You will get half the rent or the 1 bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

He will get half the rent or the shared bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

Okay that makes sense, do you mind me asking how it works if your not joint tenants and rent together?

calcotti · July 2023

CharlieRose256 said:

calcotti said:

As joint tenants you will each be taken as liable for half the rent.

You will get half the rent or the 1 bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

He will get half the rent or the shared bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

Okay that makes sense, do you mind me asking how it works if your not joint tenants and rent together?

I have corrected my post, it should say lower, not higher.

I am not clear what you mean by ‘rent together’ as different to ‘joint tenants’.

CharlieRose256 · July 2023

calcotti said:

CharlieRose256 said:

calcotti said:

As joint tenants you will each be taken as liable for half the rent.

You will get half the rent or the 1 bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

He will get half the rent or the shared bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

Okay that makes sense, do you mind me asking how it works if your not joint tenants and rent together?

I have corrected my post, it should say lower, not higher.

I am not clear what you mean by ‘rent together’ as different to ‘joint tenants’.

I’m not entirely sure, if I’m honest, just when I use benefits calculators, it asks if me and my brother (hypothetically) are joint tenants or just live together with separate tenancy agreements, I think?

calcotti · July 2023

CharlieRose256 said:

calcotti said:

CharlieRose256 said:

calcotti said:

As joint tenants you will each be taken as liable for half the rent.

You will get half the rent or the 1 bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

He will get half the rent or the shared bedroom rate (whichever is higher).

Okay that makes sense, do you mind me asking how it works if your not joint tenants and rent together?

I have corrected my post, it should say lower, not higher.

I am not clear what you mean by ‘rent together’ as different to ‘joint tenants’.

I’m not entirely sure, if I’m honest, just when I use benefits calculators, it asks if me and my brother (hypothetically) are joint tenants or just live together with separate tenancy agreements, I think?

If you gave separate tenancies the UC housing element will be based on the LHA allowance and your rent.

If you gave a joint tenancy the UC housing element will be based on the LHA allowance for you and your half of the joint rent.

UC and housing costs

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