Relationship breakdown and HA house

[NorthernStruggler]

Sorry if this is not the right place for this, posting for traffic.

My relationship has broken down and my partner has left, taking his son (from a previous relationship). He has full custody of him and he has a high level of SEN, they are living with his parents. We got a Housing Association house 18 months ago and now he has said he is definitely not coming back.

I've just started working in a 36 hour pw job so my income has gone up but now I've got all the bills to pay on my own. I'm also classed as a student and have a student loan (I'm working night shifts).

I'm worried that if I tell the HA they are not here I'll have to pay bedroom tax or maybe not even qualify for the house any more. I've tried to find the tenancy agreement but can't locate it. Could I be evicted? Can I claim any help to afford to live here on my own?

Our HA are not nice people and I want to have an idea of where I stand before I tell them anything.

Thanks to anyone who can advise me.

You might be able to claim Universal credit but will depend on net earnings and the amount of your student loan. To be honest once the student loan is deducted from any Uc entitlement I think it's unlikely you would get anything but does depend on amounts. I think you would need to report that your partner has moved out. Most large HA's would have a tenancy sustainment officer or similar who could advise whether you would be eligible for Universal credit. If you used to get Uc as a couple, you need to make your claim a single claim asap.

Also make sure the council tax gets put in your sole name and apply for single occupancy discount which will reduce your bill by 25%.

Thanks for replying babyroobs that's really helpful. We were on UC because he doesn't work (that's another story) but I reported the change when I got this job a month ago, haven't noticed any change in money but I expect it's coming. I will register the CT in my name only and apply for the discount.

Do they offer a housing exchange?

why not ring housing matters and talk it through?

You will need to make a change on your Uc journal home page that he has moved out. You may need to leave them a journal message to explain that you are responsible for the whole rent, otherwise if you are both on the tenancy agreement ( which you would have showed to UC ), they may only pay half the rent element. You also need to let UC know that the child is no longer living with you. You may find the UC ends, but will depend when your first pay day falls.

If you Google entitledto.com it will give you the link to a website where it will work out any financial help you are entitled to such as universal credit, council tax discount and help with housing costs etc.

Also, if you look on the Shelter website, they have detailed information on what happens in situations such as this including how transferring the tenancy to your sole name works.

Sorry should have added entitledto works out bedroom tax as well for you.

Firstly, bedroom tax is not a charge. It is a reduction in housing benefit or UC housing element so if you are earning enough not to get these benefits it doesn't impact you. You really need to work out whether you can afford the rent on your own given the benefits youbare entitled to if any.

Whether your HA will evict you depends on your tenancy and whether there was a clause a out changes in occupancy within a certain timeframe of you all moving in - and whether you have a life tenancy as is usual with social housing.

I guess the other thing to consider is whether the house is better suited to your ex partner and the disabled child but you can only work that out between you.

Thanks so much to everyone this is all really good advice. I think I've been sticking my head in the sand because the UC amount hasn't changed and I wasn't sure he wouldn't come back until now.

I will go on the website mentioned and work things out to see if I can afford to stay here and will have to bite the bullet and talk to the HA.

It's not a big HA but they are not nice to deal with and disorganised so I am grateful for everyone's advice so I can try and see where I stand.

Have you reported the changes to UC? If not I would do it asap as you don't want to end up with an overpayment.
Without a child on the claim ( and presumably with a child disability element on the claim as well ? ) and with an extra bedroom, and with wages and student loan I think it's very unlikely you will get any UC. If you have only just started work, then your wages may not have been reported before the end of your assessment period so may not have been counted.

Right, I will report all of it tomorrow, he's only just said he's not coming back so I will do it now.

So many thanks J x

If you are both on the tenancy- then it does not to be recorded that one party has left, and as you are in a family home as a single person, I'd assume you would have to pay extra.