To think childcare element shouldn't count as 'income' for housing benefit?

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Help :-( panicking. Hb have reassessed our claim since i started working 3.5 hours more and ds went into nursery 2 days per week. Dh is self employed trader so hasn't earnt much and Hb know how much. We are about 60 quid a week better off but have to pay nursery and lost some wtc so actually no better off but hey. I expected Hb to reduce payments a bit but they have counted the childcare element as income so have assessed us as having an extra 60 a week which goes straight to nursery. Aibu to think that's wrong? If i got childcare vouchers they would then take my income as earnings minus childcare element so i'd get more Hb. Isn't that wrong? They say we have been overpaid so are taking a tenner a week back but they have halved our payment so we have lost 60 a week in Hb. Literally cannot afford to live. I'm going to have to stop paying back my credit cards. Am waiting for small inheritance to clear them so not end of world but i'm screwed. Also dh not got much work in jan or feb but we need to keep nursery place :-( oh help

thnk yo. do yo know nywhere i cn find thi in writing/
will try 2 cll 2rrow bt it' chrit + they will be cloed next week.
orry bot typing hve to py to go online on phone

ask to be reassed - legally Housing Benefit cant take into account your childcare element of working tax credits, your child maintenance if divroced, or your child benefit (last one from Nov 09)

I have all these on my claim as deductions. I have gone from being eligible for no housing benefit to half my rent paid (and finally better off working than not!)

I had to take in contracts with my nursery as proof, but no you shouldnt have it taken into account.

child benefit too/ relly/
they tke child benefit into ccont incoe too
coldn't find ny criteri on the webite nyone know ny link to thi/
Thnk yo ll very ch

if you go to your local council website there should be tabs for housing and benefit. If not you can ring a benefits advisor - or see the CAB.

But yes, from Nov 09 they arent allowed to take child benefit into account when calculating housing benefit.

Bloody brilliant. I can't understant why they haven't done that. They have also counted mileage as income. Incompetants. I'll get on to them tomo morning and hope someone's working!