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Original poster

I need to move. Housing benefit question...

31 replies

mama2moo · 05/09/2012 11:48

I currently rent from my sister and am now a single mother of 2 under 4.

I have had had ongoing issues with my neighbours and need out now.

If I move to a privately rented house can I get help with the deposit or is just the rent they help with?

Thanks.

OP posts:
rockandahardplace2012 · 05/09/2012 11:50

some councils do a deposit scheme but its quite hard to qualify for it, i would ring the housing help line and ask.

pancakeboobies · 05/09/2012 21:22

As Rockandahradplace says.
You could also speak to a potential landlord about you paying rent at the LHA rate. If they agree to this, H Benefit can be paid straight to them. I work in benefits and know of several landlords in our authority who will allow tenants to move in to their properties without a deposit on this basis. It is a little known and fairly recent rule, but could be worth a go if you find a nice landlord (hard I know)

bureni · 05/09/2012 21:25

why do councils fund a deposit scheme,never heard of that before?

An0therName · 05/09/2012 21:29

because people can't afford a deposit but need somewhere to live

bureni · 05/09/2012 21:31

but whats housing got to do with councils , do you mean council houses only?

buggyRunner · 05/09/2012 21:34

you need to ask about the bond scheme. you will still need 1 month in advance. this can be achieved through a budgeting loan if your on benefits.

however- you will only get hb/ council tax discounts etc for a 2 bed place until your dc are 16 (if same sex) or 9 if not.

regardless of size of room. a spare room incurrs a penalty- which will be echoed throughout your benefits.

buggyRunner · 05/09/2012 21:35

you would need to be homeless so probably need to spend time in a hostel ?

BrittaPerry · 05/09/2012 21:43

Bureni, have you never heard of housing benefit? It is paid to people on low incomes (ie unemployed or on low wages) to help with their rent. You get awarded an amount based on how many bedrooms you need, then that gets reduced as your income increases. You can then choose to top that up to get a nicer place if you like.

Spare rooms in private let's do not incur a penalty.

You get enough for one room for each adult r couple. Young children get ne room for each two, as they get older they can have their n room if they are different genders.

The amount paid is usually only enough for the very cheapest housing n your area, and it can be very hard to find anywhere at all that doesn't need a top up. Also most landlords don't like HB tenants.

It is still brilliant though. It is the council that pays it, using the same firms as council tax benefit.

ThisIsMummyPig · 05/09/2012 21:48

It's called letwise in our area, the deposit is paid back to them by installments, and then you get the deposit back from the landlord at the end of your tenancy.

The rule about llord letting you move in without a deposit and getting HB paid wouldn't hold any weight in Manchester unless he could prove he had reduced his rent to allow you to move in.

No caselaw yet though so that might be interpreted differently by different authorities

bureni · 05/09/2012 21:49

Britta, yes I have heard of housing benefit but here in N.I the councils have nothing at all to do with housing, HB is paid by the NIHE though a crisis loan is available sometimes from the DHSS as a deposit. I am unsure what way the councils work in Britain as regards housing since there is no council housing in N.I. The absolute cap on HIHE housing benefit here is £370 PCM regardless of house, location or family size. Do council funded deposit loans only apply to council houses?

pancakeboobies · 05/09/2012 21:52

Yes mummypig, is something I was only told of recently by a senior officer - would definitely be worth checking with an individual authority first as as you say, different councils may be doing it differently and possibly not all benefit officers would know about it even if it was being interpreted the way I said above.

Original poster
mama2moo · 06/09/2012 13:45

Thanks all. I was thinking of topping the housing benefit to be able to afford it. 2 bed houses where we are go for £600 a month and my housing benefit would only be £86 a week.

Also, if I took the allowance for 2 bed could I rent a 3 bed without claiming the extra??

OP posts:
BrittaPerry · 06/09/2012 15:11

Yep. We have a four bed, privately rented, but we only get HB for a two bed. Two beds were around the same price though, o we would have always had to op up.

Original poster
mama2moo · 06/09/2012 15:45

Thanks BrittaPerry, thats good to know.

When a rental advert says 'no DSS' will that exclude me now that I am looking to use housing benefit towards the rent?

OP posts:
Original poster
mama2moo · 06/09/2012 15:47

One more thing, did you get help with the deposit or did you have to front that yourself?

OP posts:
Original poster
mama2moo · 06/09/2012 15:47

(no idea if 'front that yourself' actually makes sense!!)

OP posts:
pancakeboobies · 06/09/2012 15:53

When privately renting, HB has to be paid directly to the claiman (in most cases) so as the money will be coming directly from you, your landlord would not strictly speaking need to know you are on HB

Original poster
mama2moo · 06/09/2012 18:36

Thanks for that, thats good to know. Lots say 'no DSS' which I guess I would be classed as for claiming benefit!

OP posts:
artandcraftmum · 08/09/2012 21:55

what you can do is you dont have to say you are going to get benfit you tell them your working if you are . If your nervous like i was of failling the check as i work part-time and get a top up i came clean the agent was fine he rang land lord but made me have a garantor

artandcraftmum · 08/09/2012 21:57

the money is payed to you not the landlors there is an option on the forms to choose either pay to you or pay to landlord so he doesnt have to know your pass credit check most prob if your working

buggyRunner · 09/09/2012 16:03

if you have a spare room all your benefits (except child benefit) will take a 14% deduction

Original poster
mama2moo · 09/09/2012 16:17

Really BuggyRunner? When I did the online calculator that wasnt the case.

I will google it now and then may have to re think...

OP posts:
Original poster
mama2moo · 09/09/2012 16:18

Is that still the case even though I am only claiming for a 2 bedroom house? I will be renting a 3 bedroom house but will be topping up the rent from my work earnings.

OP posts:
Rockchick1984 · 09/09/2012 18:59

Don't tell them you're paying solely out of your wages if the ad says no DSS. This will often invalidate your landlord's insurance, and if they were to find out it would be a breach of contract and they could (and should!) evict you! Personally I have no problem letting to someone claiming HB but my rent guarantee won't cover me if I do unless you had a guarantor, I would be furious if I'd rented my house to you in good faith that you could afford it and yet you blatantly lied through your teeth to get it!

pancakeboobies · 09/09/2012 20:41

Mama2moos - The reductions of HB for spare rooms are only if you are renting from Housing Association/ Council (Social Housing)
It is the governments latest policy to try and screw over as many people possible free up underoccupied houses.
If you are renting privately, you would not be affected by this