Lodger and Income Support

[canweseethebunnies]

I am planning to take in a lodger and I phoned Income Support today and the woman told me the income form the lodger would not affect my benefit at all as long I sign a form saying he is not my partner (which he is not). Surely this can't be right? I thought after a certain amount of extra income, they deducted the rest for your benefit?

I own my own home, so I don't receive housing benefit. The council told me I would still receive full council tax benefit as long as I was eligible for some Income Support.

The answer I got from the DWP seems too good to be true, and I'm suspicious that I was given the wrong information.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

It says on their website that 20 pounds a week plus half of the rest of the money given to you from your lodger is not counted.
So I think that means if lodger pays you 80 pounds a week, you declare extra income of 50 pounds. So they would chop 50 off your ISupport, but you would have 30 pounds extra each week.
Your council tax benefit is not paid by DWP,AFAIK, I would check with your council for that.

That sounds more likely. Will ring them again and see what a different operator says. Have already spoken to the council.

Sorry, saw that you had spoken to the council. It's just that if you are a lone adult, even if you are receiving full C/tax benefit, you will be on a 25% discount. I would have thought if that situation changes and another adult moves in, you would have to pay the 25%?? I know this was the situation with a friend, who had to pay this difference when her child who was working full time, turned 18.