Housing Allowance Help

[GlasweJen]

Hi I'm looking for advice on Local Housing Allowance.

I'm a student and recieve DLA (middle care, lower mobility), I also get a SAAS bursary and student loan (£4400 per year combined). I applied for housing allowance under the shared rules because i'm a joint tenant with other non-disabled students. I applied online in September last year and sent the print out along with all the payslips and IDs and letters they asked for.

I got a letter back from them the day after saying that because I'm a student I am not entitled to LHA. I wrote to them and pointed out that their own website said I was and let me fill in the form so they wrote back a letter that said it was their mistake and they'd process my application.

In November they sent a letter saying that because I never returned the form to them then I'm not allowed to claim but I did return the form or how do they explain their initial correspondance? I've called them a few times since but they seem to have "lost" my application.

I don't really need it for this house as the bills aren't that high with us all sharing but we're planning to move in May and I need to know if this rigmarole is going to affect an application for the next house?

[mrsfoot]

Hi Jenschnifer

Write a letter to the manager of the dept you have been dealing with. Attach copies of the letters you have received and complete a timeline to show they have received your letters. I understand that they will go through the proces of checking your application alongside of your letters (as there is normally an id code on the letters you receive which shows who did what and when).

Yes, you might not need it this year, however if you are entitled to it then you should claim or these funds can be removed if people choose not to claim. Sort it now before the exams etc of the end of year kick in...and it should be sorted for the new year. Good luck with the studies