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Original poster

Bedroom tax and University

36 replies

vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:08

My stepson has gone off to Uni :) he has always lived with his Mum who has been on income based benefits. She has moved to a one bed studio style flat so she doesn't have to pay bedroom tax so in effect my stepson has no home base and will be sofa surfing when he comes home. His mum says she has had a big reduction in benefits and simply can't afford to stay in two bed. She has also lost our child maintenance payments. Of course there is always a room at our house but we live one hour away and he doesn't know anybody. What a mess our system is in. He is actively seeking a p t job to support himself through the coming months - we are really worried about him and are still helping him financially whew we can

OP posts:
Dontyoulovecalpol · 22/09/2016 12:11

Good for him going to uni! I worked and supported myself through uni, I didn't realise it was uncommon- it didn't appear so at the time

Original poster
vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:14

I agree that we are pleased for him.

I guess what I am asking is what is regarded as his home? is it the uni address or the resident parent's address? and if it is the resident parent address why is it subject to bedroom tax.? The Government want to encourage social mobiilty and are kind of promoting homelessness when young people do not have a home base

OP posts:
Dontyoulovecalpol · 22/09/2016 12:17

Well the point is really he is of an age where either he or his parent has to pay for his home, if you see what I mean. He doesn't have to leave home he just has to start paying towards it. Or, he moves elsewhere and pays for that.

AndShesGone · 22/09/2016 12:20

An hour away isn't much. He's only at uni 30 weeks of the year so he can stay with you and hopefully get a job the other 23 weeks.

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:22

That's makes nose se , bedroom tax doesn't apply if the young person is at uni.

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:23

No sense.

Original poster
vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:24

we are one hour away form his home town, but about four hours from his Uni town. I don't really think he will want to stay with us, we live in a remote area in the middle of nowhere! He has been working in hospitality for the last 18 months so hopefully his experience will land him something. he has paid for his accommodation and has £400 to last until xmas. Looks like a lot of pot noodles

OP posts:
WhatWouldCoachBombayDo · 22/09/2016 12:24

His mother sounds really sensible, she's securing herself, he can always crash on a sofa in a worst case scenario at hers because she financially secure and can afford where she lives.

Going to uni is moving out, his new address is his dorm or rented accommodation.

He will survive lol I spent 2 weeks sleeping in a friends bath tub whilst I waited for my accommodation for year 2 to come through haha.

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:24

Bedroom tax exemptions:

If a son or daughter who normally lives with you is away at college / university, they retain their bedroom whilst away from home, so long as they intend to return (and do return) within 52 weeks (Housing Benefit) or 6 months (Universal Credit).

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:25

Ie return in the holidays.

Original poster
vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:25

his mum told us it did - we don't know for sure, she has a reputation to be economical with the truth

OP posts:
AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:26

No his mum isn't sensible , she should have waited three years to move, when her ds finished uni.

LIZS · 22/09/2016 12:26

I also thought bedroom tax wouldn't apply to students, and certainly not impact that quickly. Have her circumstances changed perhaps and she has been reassessed. She may well have lost other benefits like tax credits and child benefit.

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:27

Link op
www.estuary.co.uk/bedroom-tax

She probably isn't lying I don't think everyone is aware of the exemptions.

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:28

See:
FAQ
my child is at University and returns home during their holidays?
If your local council / DWP accept that your home is your child’s ‘normal home’ and that they come home regularly (eg in the holidays), you should be allocated a bedroom for them. If they don’t accept that it is their normal home, you will need to provide evidence such as where they are registered to vote, where they keep most of their belongings, what they do in the holidays, (eg do they get a holiday job at home?), where they intend to live after University, etc. If your local council / the DWP still refuse to allocate them a bedroom, contact us on 0300 304 5000 for advice.

OliviaStabler · 22/09/2016 12:28

Are there any barriers to him getting a part time job to support himself?

Original poster
vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:29

Personally I think she has behaved badly, I would always retain a room for my child to come back to in case they fall on hard times. At least he will get the full loans with being from a low income family

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 22/09/2016 12:30

Uni halls often kick out during the holidays for conferences etc so he will need somewhere to put "stuff" during the vacations. If in private rented the tenancy is 52 weeks!

Original poster
vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:31

he is seeking a part time job, has worked in a bar for 18 months.

OP posts:
Original poster
vickibee · 22/09/2016 12:32

he is in halls but i dont know if it is term time or all year, will find out

OP posts:
WhatWouldCoachBombayDo · 22/09/2016 12:36

But if she can't afford the spare room then what is she to do, she no longer receives the child maintenance which may have topped the rent up Confused

She can't afford it,without seeing her detailed finances you can't just scream "liar" . Would you rather see her homeless?

WrongEndoftheTelescope · 22/09/2016 12:36

are still helping him financially whew we can

When you can? But presumably the "we" includes his father? who should be taking responsibility. Why isn't he helping his son to get a good education by going to university? Your whole opening post seems focused on your husband's son's mother. Not your husband as a parent. Why isn't your husband (his father) stepping up to offer him a permanent home?

AndNowItsSeven · 22/09/2016 12:41

Whatwould the issue was supposedly the bedroom tax, which doesn't apply.

WhatWouldCoachBombayDo · 22/09/2016 12:44

She may have been misinformed about that, but downsizing has probably saved her some cash, and if it is a LA 1 bedroom flat she was offered, they are like gold dust in some areas and may not have been available in 3 years so shed be stuck paying under occupancy then!

I'm sorry but I can't vilify a woman who has clearly tried to be financially stable. Her son is now an adult and a non dependant, he also has a father who could "step up" and help no?

randomsabreuse · 22/09/2016 12:50

I guess the issue is not so much the financial support (which I would assume now goes to the adult son rather than as child maintenance to the RP) as the place to live in the holidays. Being rural makes most holiday jobs very uneconomic once transport (if even possible) is taken into account. Insuring a car for an 18yo male to drive home from a bar job is beyond the means of most families!