9 Month wait for housing benefit - is that right??

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If you didn't read an earlier thread in a nutshell DH had to stop working to become my carer so we are now having to claim benefits. DH went to the jobcentre about some of them today and was told they will not pay it for 39 weeks (9 months). He thought at first they wouldn't pay it unless you had your house 9 months, so now he is confused. Our house is mortgaged and will be repossesed after a month or so never mind 9 months - that can't be correct, surely? It's not as if it's possible DH will get a job or anything in the mean time - he isn't "unemployed". Please come and tell me he misunderstood, I cannot find anything saying a 9 month wait on the website.

You don't get housing benefits to pay your mortgage. The money after 9 months is different and is from the DWP

However if you have no income you can claim council tax benefit

I'm afraid if you own your own home (mortgaged or not) you don't qualify for housing benefit. They will pay the interest on your mortgage but not until after a certain length of time. They regard your house as an asset and I'm afraid you won't get any help with it as technically they'd be helping you buy your house.

Are your circumstances likely to change (ie will you be able to pay the mortgage again quite soon? If so, speak to your mortage provider about your options. If not, you will probably need to sell. You need to get advice from CAB or similar.

Sorry .

Is it because of the mortgage? IIRC there is a waiting time on mortgaged houses sadly- hope to goodness I am worong though.

Some acenues for you to try:

The Carers Association (they have a website and helpline and are really useful)

citizens advice- tey can check you are gettinge verything you are entitled to

Also was there an occupational benevolent fund linked to Dh's work? See if you can find out (googlinga great palce to start)- there was one atatched to Dh's career (newspaper industry) and they have helped us enotrmously with the ds's SN.

HTH

OMFG DH will have to go back to work and I will have to go to a care home or something. No one said anything to us about a wait Why oh why did we bother busting our arses to buy a house when we should have just be handed a house by the council, we would have been better off today if we just didn't bloody bother

I was told they would pay the intrest part only. They just want us to have a council house and have the money circulating from council benefit to council landlord.

I know it must be scary but co talk to the carers association- they will know everything you need.

Do you get DLa and possibly careers allowance as well?

have to get DLA first, then others follow on from that. Can't get some without getting others first etc. Just need to send off the DLA forms, I have tried my best but they are quite complex and the helper doesn't have an appointment until July 23rd. I will try the carers ass. This is so scary

If you need a hand with the DLA do CAT me, get it for ds1 and ds3's application in in the system now.

I think its carers UK you need, from what i can see on google.

sorry, what is the carers ass. website? Thanks

Thanks, that's the site I have up. Phone lines are closed now though. I will try Wednesday.

If you own your own home HB will pay out for up to 12 months before they expect you to have sold up and used the revenue or to be renting so that they can pay HB for your rent. They won't pay you if you have your own home except for thi sinitial 12 months.

You should be entitled to Incapacity Benefit, DLA probably, Carers Allowance, Housing Benefit and Child Tax credit and Housing Benefit. Crisis loans and community care grants may also be useful.

have you seen they have an email system as well? (I know I always feel better just doing something rather than waiting)

Cerebra has an excellent guide to the DLA forms on its site. I know they're aimed at learning difficulty type syndromes (I don't know your dx) nt I think there's a lot of tips on there thata re useful for anyone applying to the DLA.

Yes, I will get DH to send them an email in abit. I am utterly stunned at the lack of financial help, if DH does go back to work it will cost the NHS so much more to provide the care that he does for me and I cannot even begin to imagine what would happen to our DS. Makes you wonder what's the point of carrying on really.

The 9 month wait is correct when you own the house as they are essentially helping you to purchase an asset. They only pay the interest part and not the repayment. Its also capped to help on the interest on value of house upto £100k - if the house is worth more the extra interest on the mortgage isnt covered. Never heard about them only helping for a year though as lots of single parents posts say the mortgage continues to be paid - not the same thing i know but same benefit.

Maybe your mortgage provider will let you take a holiday period to cover this time and then spread the missed payments over the rest of the mortgage - definately worth asking, they usually accomadate if you've had the mortgage a while and have had no payment problems.

just to say have you called the DWP Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200?

They will help you to ensure you've claimed absolutely everything you are both entitled to as it's a specialist helpline giving information on benefits for sick and disabled people, their representatives and carers.