housing benifit entitlement advice please

[festi]

I had a mess up with IS who kept my claime live even though it was suspended after I notified them twice I had started uni. This seems to have messed up my housing benifit claim so I owe £800 no biggie they have calculated that it be payed £10 a week, but I may offer to pay a lump sum.

Anyway that was based on 65% housing benifit award, I belive the full award in my area.

I have been reassesed as entitled to 20% housing benifit award, thats a bit of a shock as I though most of my student finace does not get taken into account. someone else on my course but different local council is recieving full HB award. so im puzzled anyone have any experience as a lone student applying for HB and what award do you recieve?

lone parent student (not lone student)

As a LP and full time student I get;
-loan for fees
-maintenance loan

• special support grant
• parents' learning allowance
• Childcare grant

The latter three should not be used in any calculations. What you do eventually get will depend on how much other income you have coming in, and your individual situation.

You need to contact the council and ask what they are counting as income. Once you know how they're working it out you can challenge it accordingly.

Are you full time or part time?

I also get...
tax credits
child benifit for 1 child
csa maintenance

but I was under the impression none of these are taken into account either. the letter does not state what they have and have not taken into account.

thanks for the reply.

im fulltime

If you get the SSG, PLA &CCG and have no other income source or a large amount in savings i would think that you should be getting a full award.

Is it a private rental, just one adult in the house etc?

The letter should give you a number to call in order to query their decision. You'll have to ask them what they have counted as income, and find out exactly what figures your claim is based on, and how it has been calculated. You'll then know where you stand and whether you'll need to appeal.

thanks MrsP, that was my thought but just seeing what others thought. I have a month from the letter date to make an appeal, so I will call next week to book an apointment and maybe get into the finance advicers at uni before the appointment.