Housing benefit advice

[MollyBloomYes]

I suspect I'm going to have to make an appointment with Jobcentre but might as well ask here in case there's anyone who knows!

My situation: two children, one in receipt of highest care element of DLA. I also receive caters allowance for this child, income support and child tax credits. Trying to get into work (both kids under school age) but childcare proving difficult (there are no childminders in local area and nursery fees x 2 aren't possible, even with the 30 hours 'free')

We're living with family and have been for a while. It's not dangerous but it's also not ideal so I'm constantly looking for other housing options to help my mental health and allow me to have my own space with my children. My children are happy and safe in our current situation so if I have to suck it up for the moment then I'll have to accept that.

I was always under the impression that if I started to claim housing benefit this would then cancel out another one of my benefits or my tax credits. Rent prices around here are crazy (South East-hence the high nursery fees as well) so I really can't afford a cut in income. However no online calculator seems to give a straight answer! I know in my area that I wouldn't need to switch to universal credit (due to existing benefits already in place) but that's about it.

Can anyone help?

Housing and council tax benefit won't take away your other benefits as your on full benefits you would get all your rent paid (as long as you had the right amount of bedrooms for capacity and the LHA amount) and all your council tax.

Some council websites have a housing benefit calculator if yours does fill it in with your rent amount and all details and it should give you an idea.

Thanks, I've done the council housing benefit calculator which shows I'd get the full amount allowed for my area (won't cover the full rent of anywhere round here sadly but would help). However the calculator only shows the housing benefit, not what would happen to the other benefits!

But sounds hopeful though, thank you both for replying

Oh sorry, just realised you 'both' are actually the same person thank you!

See if you can find somewhere to accept housing benefit first.
Also try typing in as if you already pay the rent and see what figure it gives you.