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Original poster

Housing benefit

38 replies

Password9 · 14/02/2018 17:05

Can a 19 year old grandson claim housing benefit help when paying rent for a single room in same house as nan lives ?? She is only claiming single person allowance on council tax currently.

Have looked and cant find anywhere that says he can. But also not found anything that says he cant.

Cheers. Look fwd to replies. Maybe someone in same position.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 14/02/2018 17:07

Does Nan own the house? I don't think under ? 21's can claim Housing benefit at all now ( I may be wrong ).

WitchesHatRim · 14/02/2018 17:08

I don't think you can claim HB if it's going to a family member.

sallyandherarmy · 14/02/2018 17:16

No.

He is not old enough, for one reason.

Original poster
Password9 · 14/02/2018 18:58

He is old enough. Under uk gov. To be eligible for housing benefit. For a single room let. Nan owns out right.

OP posts:
Zioanna · 14/02/2018 18:59

If nan owns outright, what is the housing benefit for?

fairgame84 · 14/02/2018 19:02

He would need a tenancy agreement. It sounds like he is paying board rather than rent.

fairgame84 · 14/02/2018 19:04

Not eligible if you live in the home of a close relative so no he can't claim.

Housing benefit
demirose87 · 14/02/2018 19:10

No he wouldn't be able to claim bit even if he did, I'm sure he would get much as a single person.

Original poster
Password9 · 14/02/2018 19:42

Yes I read that. But what is the definition off close family. Found this mentions nothing of nan

Housing benefit
OP posts:
Original poster
Password9 · 14/02/2018 19:43

£65 a week

OP posts:
fairgame84 · 14/02/2018 19:51

But he still doesn't have a tenancy agreement.
All you can do is put in a claim and see what they say.

mummsyy · 14/02/2018 19:57

What is the housing benefit actually for is nan owns outright?
Is it for him to pay her board money or for him to have extra money in his pocket?
I don't think he's eligible because there's no tenancy agreement but you could always ask them.

Auspiciouspanda · 14/02/2018 20:01

I’m a housing benefit assessor and Regulation 9 includes grandparents in ‘close family members’. He isn’t eligible to claim.

Becca19962014 · 14/02/2018 20:04

Check your councils website (or hers). Be prepared though they may not allow it even with a formal tenancy agreement in place and they would both likely need to be interviewed to show it is a formal agreement. I know my council would refuse this.

I assume this is being asked because she will lose her 25% council tax discount.

Also, it may not be housing benefit but universal credit he needs to claim which has different rules, I think universal credit is the one that refuses under 21s unless very specific circumstances apply e.g. Care leaver.

Becca19962014 · 14/02/2018 20:06

X-post with auspiciouspanda that's obviously why my council would refuse.

Notabadger · 14/02/2018 20:08

Can't claim single person discount on council tax if another adult is living there, unless he's a student, I think.

Has gran let out the room to lodgers/tenants before? Sounds like this arrangement would be set up just to claim benefits, in which case wouldn't be entitled to housing benefit. This might be useful
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03078/SN03078.pdf

DancesWithOtters · 14/02/2018 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Babyroobs · 14/02/2018 21:17

Can't anyone just help out relatives these days without wanting money for it, or is it the grandson that wants to reduce what he has to pay ?

Original poster
Password9 · 14/02/2018 23:24

Thanks for confirming that. To others if someone lives with you your bills are gonna increase. gas electric water sewage internet, council tax pos even home insurance as you prob no state pension isnt a lot to live on. So of course financial help is needed. She may loose other entitlements too. There are rooms to rent in area @£80p/w but in multiple occupancy. His mums moving to wales and understandably he does not wish to go. But no guaranty off him getting a job straight from college, in a few months.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 14/02/2018 23:28

I'm not saying he shouldn't pay towards food , gas and electricity etc, that goes without saying but if the room was just empty previously why ask for rent? He could pay towards council tax as she would lose her 25% single occupancy discount .

Babyroobs · 14/02/2018 23:32

If he has a time where he is unemployed, he would be able to claim Job seekers allowance or Universal credit depending on his postcode.

19lottie82 · 15/02/2018 07:34

if someone lives with you your bills are
gonna increase. gas electric water sewage internet.....

Housing benefit isn’t supposed to cover these costs. DGS can give Nan some of his JSA (if he’s getting it) or wages for these costs.

coffeekittens · 15/02/2018 07:41

He won’t be able to claim hb but if he is a student he won’t need to claim council tax, the council will need to know that he’s living there though. Has he looked at what other benefits he may be entitled to or at getting a pt job to help with rent?

HarveyKietelRabbit · 15/02/2018 07:41

Yes if an adult family member lives with you, some costs will increase. But why would you expect the state to pay for it?

Becca19962014 · 15/02/2018 10:03

If unemployed he'd need to claim JSA £57.45 a week or universal credit £251.77 a month - (2017/18) figures and he'd need to use that money to get to/from local jobcentre and interviews as well as pay rent, which will be a huge struggle. He wouldn't get housing benefit as he isn't old enough.

It's not as a simple as just claiming housing benefit to cover extra costs though of course those will happen.

Unfortunately this is reality and is how it works, he needs to find a job to make up those losses if he wants to stay with her and not go with his mum. He also needs to think about why he wants to stay, and if that is friends he needs to think long and hard about that, he's at an age where people move around uni/college/move away for work perhaps his friends will be able to stay with their family for free so won't have the pressures he will. He could find it very lonely.

I lived with a relative for a short time who I paid rent to (this was over 20 years ago) and it ruined our relationship. Put simply the few weeks I'd stayed with them for the previous ten years and the days I'd gone to see them we got on great, but that was holiday time and who we were day to day was very different. They expected me to stay awake until the early hours chatting and watching all their soaps but I was traveling to work quite a distance away and needed to be up at 6am and didn't get back until gone 6pm, then I was in bed by 9. Weekends I wanted quiet and to rest, they wanted to go out.

He really needs to give this a lot of thought.