Is there a different cap on housing benefit if there are special needs?

[ledkr]

Hi not sure where to post this but my ds is 25 and has chronic renal failure.He is still managing to work despite having an 8% renal function. He is on the transplant waiting list but will probably soon need dyalisis in the meantime.
The type of dyalisis he will need involves a lot of equipment and storage for waste and fresh fluids.
At the moment he lives in private rented accomodation and receives no benefits.
When he becomes too sick to work he will not be able to keep his job as he will be off long term and he works for a shop who will terminate his contract (we have checked this with cab) He will therefore need to claim benefits including hb.
He will need a bigger place than he is in now (one room shared toilet) but i know there is a cap on how much hb will pay.
If there are special circumstances do hb make allowances and pay a higher amount?
Sorry if its a ramble.

Yes, they do, but generally the allowance is based on 'disability' and is evidenced by receiving DLA/ESA etc.

DD1 gets DLA and they add an extra 'child' element onto the HB allowance. So, in effect, we have 3 children but they allow us the equivalent of 4 children before we lose HB.

Thanks. Its hard because he (unbelievably) gets no help now so if he moved to a more suitable property he wouldnt be able to pay it on his rubbish wages so it is goping to have to be a last minute thing iyswim.Its very reassuring to know that thanks.

The other thing to bear in mind, is that if he has one particular room that is exclusively for activity relating to his disability (ie. dialysis), then he can get a council tax reduction for that room.

Does he get DLA or will he be applying for it? Usually under-35s with no children will only get the rate of LHA (HB) for a room in a shared flat rather than a 1 bed self-contained flat. But if he gets the severe disability premium (which he'd get if he is on middle/higher rate DLA), he would be entitled to the 1-bed rate. There are other ways to qualify for the severe disability premium I think, so I'd suggest going back to the CAB to check his entitlement.

If he needs overnight care, he could also get the 2-bed rate to allow for a non-resident carer to stay overnight.

Thanks.It so hard to tell because it depends on so much.How he copes with dyalisis and what type he has,how long he has to wait for a kidney and whether it rejects.He is defo going to have a transplant anytime from now im not sure what he will qualify for then.
He will need a bedroom for all the equipment for home dyalisis and his own bathroom for disposal of the waste products from it.

He could possibly leave work now pre dialysis and transplant and get incapacity benefit or the equivalent. has he spoken to the welfare person at his renal unit? Sometimes it is easier when in the middle of all this to just totally opt out of work etc until its all over. I found that easier than part work part benefits etc etc.

Thanks noddy. I wish he would tbh.His work are a bit crap about days off for the numerous appointments he has. What will happen with work? Will they continue to pay sick untill their limits and then terminate his contract and if so will that mean he cant claim incapacity etc. He is worried that if he gives up work he will not get anything as its voluntary.

On another note whie i have you captive, he has become quite depressed not helped by the gf dumping him. He is staying with me atm but still has his flat/room. He has missed 2 appointments,should be having blood tests and needs to arrange an appointment with chose and book.I have told him he should be looking for a bigger place pre leaving work and also he can get some tax credits just needs to do a claim. He has done none of it! I had to make his gp app re depression. I cant do it all i have a baby and dd 10 and work part time,i will support him all i can but he needs to do some things himself.
What do i do?

Ps he says he doesnt want to give up work as he is worried he will become more depressed which i totally get.

Hi has he managed to speak to Unit social worker yet?
Can he get himself on a local housing association list which will hep re accommodation
In terms of getting him to do stuff can you make him a list and chunk it into small things with one or two to do each day?
Can you go to hops appt with him to see social worker, maybe hep him make a list of all the rings he needs to discuss

Can he negotiate some part time work (might not be a good idea

Sorry the bit at the end got cutting off it should have said might not be a good idea to work part time income wise re benefits etc etc

Thanks southwest. No part time would be great but no benefits then so cant do it. I have asked a few times re sw or welfare advisor but they dont seem to have one.Im going to try the kidney pt association tomorrow.
I do go to his appointments and take him to them as well as some are away but not if im working or cant get childcare.
Re housing,i am a sw and know that the council are only housing the homeless atm and its all in not very nice areas iyswim?
Im going to write down what he needs to do yes thats agood idea. I just cant take the burden all myself.I havhelath needs myself as does the baby.

Lol all embarrassed to hear I've been talking to a social worker!!!

Coals to Newcastle and all that

I just thought that health needs gets him extra points plus he will be homeless (kind of) once he starts dialysis plus people at the hosp need to think if his current accommm is unsuitable for dialysis plans need making now, moving takes far longer than starting dialysis (generally)

I'm under the impression (mainly from here) that he can go on council waiting list but will not get a place because not needy enough but being on the list makes him eligible for housing association which would be a huge advantage for him in the future

You will know more about that than me

Tis good that you go with him is there someone at the hosp you could call to discuss housing dilemma do they have anyone good in the pre dialysis clinic just put it along th lines of how worried you are about x or giving them a heads up so they know you're not expecting them to solve it on the phone there'd and then if you call with your son there he can go on first and say he is happy for the two of you to chat about him!!

I can only speak for myself and I went to my GP and just said I couldn't go on with work. There is no way that with his kidney function as is he would be turned down. He also seems depressed so needs to get his arse into gear(sorry) and go to all appointments so that any claim he makes his notes are up to date and all his needs and symptoms are documented. He could get signed off and his work would pay a certain amount iirc. Then he would go onto IB and as he is under 35 you get a premium for being young when you became unable to work. TBH I found dialysis and all the appointments rest etc was my job! I didn't work at all. With my 1st transplant I didn't have dialysis I just left uni and had a transplant fairly quickly as my mum was the donor and so I didn't wait. He would definitely get his rent paid too. I know he thinks not working would be depressing but really he should decide this once he starts dialysis. I thought it would be a breeze and normal life would resume but it didn't .Does he have any close friends?Where do you live? I was his age and younger when I went through this so am happy for him to mail me if he wants x

Oh right thats interesting re housing. Ill look into it (me again)

Dont mind me though,i know nothing about it all tbh.I work with children and families so no knowledge of medical stuff but its given me an idea that i could speak to a colleague who does. Durrrrr!

I wanted him to move into a slightly better place whilst he is still in employment as landlords can be funny re hb.
But he cant do it before as on his wages he cant afford it ridiculous situation really.
He will probably be here a lot but still needs his own base.He is not very helpfull its his odd mind set. He is staying here hasnt paid a penny and then refused to sit with his sleeping sisters who never wake up while me and dh just popped to the cinema he wasnt going anywhere. its best we have separate homes its very stressfull.

I spoke to him about you noddy i wonder if that would be good. The odd thing is that i had breast cancer when i was his age so i have an understanding of what its like,they wont use my kidney cos of that btw.
I think his depression has been underlying for years,he was born prem and does have very mild cp which just makes him clumsy and unco-ordinated.
He had ahard time at school but is now popular and has good friends.He always reacts badly to break ups and mopes around obsessing about it. I think at the moment he is doing that and completely neglecting his health a cos he is focussed on the break up and b cos he actually couldnt give a monkeys-he told me that.
He has been prescribed some anti ds.

One of the crazy things about housing etc

Can you have w man to man chat as it were about things he can do when he is staying?

I do feel for him aside from being unwell obv. He is young and maybe self absorbed I know volunteering to babysit wouldn't have crossed my mind on many occasions

I was a moper too now I struggle to remember the names (and there weren't that many)!!

The babysitting thing is weird tho cos he didnt have to do anything different cos dd's in bed. Just a bit awkward i feel.

I have made him a list but he has been staying with a friend (probably to avoid me)