Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Lone parents

Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.

Flip

Original poster

need some more advice please : )

12 replies

refmum · 13/02/2011 18:43

Hello everyone,

I became a lone parent Jan 2nd,need some advice please about LHA etc...

I have been told i will be entitled to a 4 bed LHA rate and have found a place to rent,i'm just worried abouta few things.

At present i am on IS,am i right in thinking that when my youngest son is 5 years old i will then go onto JSA? If i am correct about this,does what i earn effect the ammount of LHA i will receive? Is there a certain ammount of hours i could work a week without my LHA being affected? how does this work? I am worried that if i rent the private place i would start to find it hard to pay the rent and maybe i would be unwise to rent privately as if i wait to be re-housed by council the rent would be less to start off with?

Sorry if i sound muddled but i really want to make an informed decision,am going to make an appointment with my lone parent advisor this week,also CAB.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Flojo1979 · 13/02/2011 21:37

Waiting for LHA to house u is a none starter. In current climate you've practically zero chance, especially a 4 bed one, maybe a 3 bed in a rough area perhaps.
Go on your LHA website and they usually tell u how many bedrooms u can have and the maximum wkly rate they will pay.
I rent my 3 bed house privately, it costs approx double what LHA rent would be, yet is relatively good price for the area, having said this I still have to make up my rent as its very hard to find a property that actually falls within the allowance they give u. Given all the other benefits u r entitled to, its not usually a problem
...(everything thats wrong with this country!)

happygolucky0 · 13/02/2011 21:40

What does LHA stand for?

Flojo1979 · 13/02/2011 22:08

local housing association, i.e council housing

Original poster

refmum · 14/02/2011 09:25

Thanks,the place i've found to rent is less than the LHA rate i have been told i'm entitled to.

What i'm worried about is the future (like most other single parents),when i get a job will i get less money to pay my rent? and is it alot less? worried about commiting to rent this place and then finding myself unable to afford it less than a year down the line. I don't know how it works you see.

OP posts:

GypsyMoth · 14/02/2011 09:29

How long have you got left before you have to leave??

Original poster

refmum · 14/02/2011 09:49

3 months

OP posts:

detachandtrustyourself · 14/02/2011 09:55

LHA stands for Local Housing Allowance. How much Housing Benefit will pay for house rent

detachandtrustyourself · 14/02/2011 10:17

The housing Benefit might go down, depending what you earn, but you will be able to make up the difference with some of your wages, and should still have either the same amount or more left to live on. (under current legislation). You can still claim child tax credit, and if you work more than 16 hours, working tax credit as well. (depending how much you earn).

You could ask your lone parent advisor at the job centre or CAB to do senarios of what you might earn, and what difference it will make to your benefits, and how much better off you will be. (but you will need to factor in bus fares to travel to work and losing free school dinners yourself). I think there are on line calculaters as well.

It is frightening to think about, and of course if you could get a housing association house there will be less rent to pay, but you are unlikely to get one, especially with 4 bedrooms. Also think about if any of your children are likely to leave, as then your allowance may go down to 3 bedrooms. You have done very well to find a house that costs under the allowance. You need to balance up if there are likely to be others with a similar rent available, (and which accept housing benefit) if you wait to see if you can get a housing association house within the 3 months, but don't get one.

detachandtrustyourself · 14/02/2011 10:21

Oh yeah, there are plans by the coalition for housing association and council house rents to go up to market rents. Don't know when, or if it will definately happen,but bear that in mind, as your private rental may then not be much different in price.

detachandtrustyourself · 14/02/2011 10:31

Forgot to say, if your ex is not paying maintenacne, or not much maintenance,you can also get the CSA to get child support from your ex. Especially if you know where he works. At present this is not counted when working out benefits. Hurry up though as they will soon start charging for their service. (and don't hold your breath for success, but that money, if you get it, will help for money for children, leaving more left over for rent)

Original poster

refmum · 14/02/2011 13:41

a1b2 thankyou for your excellent advice.

I have had a busy morning,first to the lone parent advisor and then the council one stop shop.

It looks like i will be ok to move to the private rent,we did some senarios,putting in different working hours,earnings etc...should be ok,when my oldest son starts work he will have to pay me the rent i would lose from HB out of his earnings,i am also aware that he could move out.

Lots to think about.

The lone parent advisor said i would be expected to return to work when my youngest ds is 7? i thought it was 5?

OP posts:

detachandtrustyourself · 14/02/2011 14:27

That is good news refmum. The lone parent advisor and council one stop shop have been very helpful.

There has been a lot in the news about being expected to return to work (16 hours or more?) when the youngest is 5. I think it is still 7 for now, but going to change to 5 in the future, not sure when (2012?).

Flip