Housing benefit entitlement

[Rattysparklebum]

My parents have lived in their private rented, 2 bed bungalow for 40 years, they have a secure, lifetime tenancy, and claim housing benefit and pension credit. It looks likely that DF will need to move permanently into a care home in the near future due to dementia, will this mean DM’s housing benefit will be reduced as she only needs 1 bedroom, she is worried about having to move?

I am really struggling to find anyone who knows the answer, I emailed my local council but they quote a 6 week response time to any emails!

Get in touch with either Age Uk or Citizens Advice. They will both know the rules for this

Do they get a extra room currently? Is your mum on attendances allowance or pip for herself?

When he moves into the care home your mothers pension credit entitlement will stop and she will need to reapply. Make sure she has enough savings to tide her over as it can take a couple of months to process.

How much is the rent? Local housing allowance may still cover it as a couple are only entitled to a one bedroom house too as far as I know. Or did they get extra for needing another bedroom for medical reasons?

https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

If they rent privately or are both over pension age then "bedroom tax" doesn't apply so not an issue for 2 reasons. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/housing-benefit/how-an-extra-bedroom-affects-your-housing-benefit/check-if-a-room-counts-as-an-extra-bedroom-for-housing-benefit/

@Rattysparklebum the citizens advice will be able to help you
Who is their home rented from? You've said private rent, but I'm wondering by you saying they've been there 40 years with a secure lifetime tenancy whether it's rented from a housing association?
Also are they currently on 'legacy' housing benefit or do they claim the housing element of universal credit?
When your dad moves into the home their claim would need to be reassessed as it's your mum claiming in her own right, rather than as a couple.
If they are currently on 'legacy' housing benefit, this would also trigger a change to universal credit.
PP is right that the extra bedroom etc doesn't apply in the calculation as they are both over the age of consideration for that
Depending on whether the home is rented from private landlord or housing association will depend on the rates that apply, but your mum would be told what rate she will receive and why and then the decision is if she can afford to remain there or not. Normally housing benefit for one elderly person (assuming she doesn't have savings over £16,000 or have a large pension) would cover most if not all of the rent and then it's whether she's able to cover all over bills as a single person.

Universal credit doesn’t apply to people over retirement age

@Thistooshallpsss

Eventually all legacy benefits will stop. If you're claiming one of these, you will be moved onto Universal Credit at some point before December 2024. This programme is sometimes called 'managed migration'. The DWP will write you a letter when it's your time to move.

It's not 'universal credit' as in what people under state pension age claim but a transfer to the housing element of universal credit as eventually all legacy benefits will be 'migrated' but they use a change in circumstances to trigger the change

Apologies, first paragraph is from gov.uk website

Claimants of pension age are not subject to bedroom tax

Brilliant, thanks everyone, it is reassuring she won’t be subject to bedroom tax, I will warn her to try and build up some savings before updating the pension credit claim.

She may not be liable for ‘bedroom tax’ but unfortunately she is still affected by whatever the local housing allowance maximum benefit is for one person. Although in the type of tenancy you mention there might be some rent control clauses.
I really advise that you get in touch with citizens advice or age uk because whatever the changes they will be in force as soon as your father moves out and be back dated to then if not informed on time

When both of a couple are state retirement age they do not ever get migrated to UC. They are on pension credit !