Can 2 single mums share a private rental property on housing benefit?

[Hebe28]

Hi I am a single mum with a young child and I have lived in supported housing with another single mum with 2 children for 2 years and we need to move out. We would like to find a 4 bedroom property that we could share together but we are both currently on benefits so we need to know how this would affect our housing benefit and income support. We are not in a relationship but would just like to share a house and we would also have a guarantor.

Thanks for any help 😊

You would be joint tenants so your housing benefit would be assessed on half the rent and on the 2 bedroom lha rate each. You would both need to claim hb separately.
I don't think you'd need to tell income support anything other than the change of address but may be worth advising them that you are not a couple.
I would also advise you to keep finances as separate as possible to prove you are not a couple should anyone question it down the line.