How much will I have to live on?

[tom08]

Hi,

I'm 24 and still living with parents. I've been out of work for several years due to a health condition and I receive Incapacity Benefit. I've put my name down on the council waiting list and am awaiting a council flat. I live in Havering (in case it matters).

Basically, if I did move into a council flat, could someone please advice me on roughly how much I would have to live on? I've tried asking at my CAB twice, and both times I've just left confused. It seems overly complicated -- but then again I am completely clueless about this kind of thing.

My Incapacity Benefit is around £100 per week. Let's say I moved into a council flat whose rent is £85 per week (excluding bills). Assuming I apply for Housing Benefit to pay for the rent, and Council Tax Benefit to help with council tax, roughly how much could I expect to live on?

I would have assumed that Housing Benefit would pay the £85, and Council Tax Benefit would pay the council tax, leaving me with the £100 Incapacity Benefit minus the bills (I guess £30/week), which leaves me with £70 to live on. However, the two people I spoke with at the CAB both came up with a figure of about £40 (where did the extra £30 go?), which I would struggle to live on.

Thanks very much,
Tom

[gizmo111]

What exactly do you mean by what would you have to live on?
How much housing benefit you get will change when you are 25.
Have a look on Start Calculation to see what benefits you are entitled to and then your budget is personal to your needs after that. As a guide water is usually £7.50 ish a week and budget around £15 for gas and elec (depending on the size of the flat etc)

[tom08]

Originally Posted by gizmo111

What exactly do you mean by what would you have to live on?

I mean, how much would I have left (of my Incapacity Benefit) after rent, bills, etc.

Originally Posted by gizmo111

How much housing benefit you get will change when you are 25.
Have a look on Start Calculation to see what benefits you are entitled to and then your budget is personal to your needs after that. As a guide water is usually £7.50 ish a week and budget around £15 for gas and elec (depending on the size of the flat etc)

Thanks. I looked on the site and it predicts that I'd be entitled to ~£20/week Council Tax Benefit and ~£70/week Housing Benefit.

So, taking the above into account, am I correct to assume that if the rent is £85/week and I'm getting £100/week Incapacity Benefit, then the amount I would have left (of Incapacity Benefit) would be about £85? Worked out as follows:

£85 (rent) - £70 (Hous Ben) = £15
£100 (Inc Ben) - £15 = £85

And, of this £85, I guess about £30 would go towards bills, leaving me with £55 for food, etc. So the amount I would have left "to live on" would be £55. Does that sound about right?

Thanks,
Tom

[gizmo111]

Yes that sounds about right, but bear in mind when you reach 25 you will be entitled to more housing benefit. I dont think you can really work it out until you move in.