housing benefit question - living in the home of a relative

[chocoraisin]

Hi there,

I've just been looking on the HB advice centre, I'm officially renting (with a proper lodger agreement) 1/3 of my parents house (2x bedrooms, bathroom, small 'snug' room and shared kitchen) with my little boy and soon to be here baby. It's a short term solution for the next 6mo til baby comes as I'm ill and recently separated.

I can't expect my parents to support us during this time though and I am going to struggle to pay my way without some help, but I just saw that you can't claim HB if you live in the home of a close relative... has anyone else been in this situation? Did you get any support at all?

I know it's a bit of a random straw poll but I just want to get an idea of whether it's even worth a trip to the council office to plead our case.

cheers

Afraid not. You cannot claim HB for a property that your parents rent you (even if it was a whole house). I'm pretty sure there's no way round this sadly.

thanks purple, I phoned up and you're right. Looks like I'll just have to owe them some money and hurry up getting my own place asap. Scary stuff. Still, god bless them for having us for a bit!

I lived with my brother for a year and a half and I wasn't entitled to anything either. I also had an agreement by the way. Nothing is easy in this life.