Advice on housing benefit

[GAW19]

So me and my two daughters are moving out, the councils homelessness team are helping us find somewhere. They have said they can help with a deposit if I need to go private.
I'm a bit confused with looking for private though as I don't know how much money I would get to help against rent.
I currently don't work as DD's are only 2 & 4.
Do I let universal credit know now that I'll need housing help or wait until I find somewhere and how much?
I did ask the person helping me from the council but he said he only deals with helping me find somewhere so can't give me an answer.
My ex owns his house outright so I've never had to go though anything like this before, it's all a bit of a mind field

Ages 2 and 4 doesn't mean you can't work, but I understand it's because of the situation you are in, you will have to wait, once you are physically living there you let them know and if anything they will backdate the payments. I wouldn't go private if i were you, can't they find you a housing a occasion? I know you will have to be living in the area for at least I think 3 years to be eligible to bid for a council house.

England or Wales?

You’ll likely qualify for the 2 bed rate. Ask for a trial calculation.

You should be entitled to the 2 bedroom LhA rate which you can find by putting the postcode of the property in on this website:https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/
but the way that Universal Credit works it adds up your elements then takes away deductions for things like the benefit cap so you're better off looking at the total Universal Credit you'll receive and then working out what you could afford from there. The best website for a calculation is www.entitledto.co.uk
Good luck op, is very hard finding anything at or below LHA rates (bastard tories)

Quick terminology point.

If the Council find you temporary housing then it's usually paid for by Housing Benefit. Otherwise, if they've just helped you find somewhere that's let through a private landlord then it it's paid via a Housing Costs Element.

The amount they'll pay is limited to the Local Housing Allowance for the relevant postcode. With two children the age yours are you'd get the 2 bed rate.

First question, do you have any saving? Because you will qualify for the 2 bed rate on UC but if you have savings of over £16,000 you won’t be able to claim UC.
Yes councils will help with the deposit and be a guarantor if you can find a private landlord willing to accept someone on UC which in my experience is unlikely.
If you end up in homeless accommodation help with rent is done via housing benefit but your housing officer would help you sort all that out.
So basically keep the pressure on your housing officer to find you something but in the meantime look for a private rent up to your local areas 2 bed LHA rate, have a look at any that are suitable and find out if they are willing to accept people on benefits.

Thank you everyone.
I didn't say I couldn't work, I said I don't currently work. My ex earns enough that I didn't need to work.
But now that I'm moving out I will be looking for work once we are settled and youngest starts preschool.
We are in England.
When I googled there are so many different answers it's all confusing haha
My housing officer is now on holiday for two weeks but said as soon as he is back back he can look at changing my housing band to a higher priority

definitely take a look at the entitled to website, it is really good.

People stating that you a are qualified for lha 2 bedroom, which isn't the case now, however if you are out of London depending on what borrow you are it can be the case but most likely a 2 bedroom private house with an agency

@Takeyournegativevibesawayfromme why are you saying it wouldnt be the 2 bedroom lha? That is the only definite bit about it if it is a private rental as op would be entitled to 1 bedroom and her daughters the other. It would go up to 3 bedrooms once one of her daughters reaches 16.

Yes 2 bed LHA rate.

I'm in the north east. After having a look I believe it will be £430.
Thank you everyone 😊

It wouldn't definite be housing associated 2 bedroom! There is no definite and also dont give OP false hopes stating she will get a 3 bedroom once her child turns 16.

Sorry I miss read people you are on about the lha rate... Opologise in advance

@Takeyournegativevibesawayfromme mentions Housing Association lets and by inference Social Housing - Council etc - generally.

LHA wouldn't apply there; provided you were allocated a place with no more than two bedrooms the full rent would be eligible for UC. However Social Housing is in desperately short supply and many Councils point you to private lets and tell you to get on with it.

In many parts of the country LHA is less than you might pay, at least for a place where you need or want to to be. This is down to (a) the way it it's set looking at the lowest part of market across a wide area and (b) repeated failure by government to actually allow the mechanism to work. Instead of tracking the market, albeit a limited sector they then either freeze rates or only let them go up by CPI inflation.

Discretionary Housing Payment from the Council can help but it's (a) discretionary and (b) no intended to be long term.