housing benefit help

[beetlebug1]

hello all

my niece is moving in to her own place soon. she is 18 and not entitled to any other help. wondered if anyone could tell me how you qualify for housing benefit.

thanks in advance

[Zamzara]

It's based on income and savings, the lower they are the more of your rent is paid. If you get income support or income based JSA this automatically means you get full housing benefit, but you do not have to be receiving any other benefits as is sometimes claimed.

You can calculate her housing benefit at www.entitledto.com

[beetlebug1]

thanks for that

she has no savings. she works and takes home abouts 800 a month. the rent on the one bedroomed flat is going to be £385 a month plus council tax and other bills. do you think she will qualify?

[beetlebug1]

i have just looked on our local council website for the LHA rates. there is some information about claiming housing benefit if you are under 25 and certain restrictions applying. the way it is worded i do not know if she cannot claim at all or can only claim the shared room rate, even though it is a one bedroomed flat she wants to rent.

anyone had any experience of this?

[Zamzara]

Yes unfortunately that is right, she is restricted to the one room rent so probably won't qualify for anyhting.

[beetlebug1]

thanks zamzara

even £5- £10 a week would be better than nothing. she is going to struggle. the rent for the flat is about right for our area and there are no bedsits available.

[Zamzara]

Sorry my edit crossed with your post, you were too fast!

I previously posted hat she would get about £5-£10 a week if she is childless but I forgot about the shared room rate for under 25s, so it's unlikely she will get anyhting unless the shared room rate in your area is over £80.

[beetlebug1]

hello again the shared room rate in our area seems to vary from £57 to £75 are they any over top up payments available from the council or help with council tax. sorry to go on just a bit worried about how she will manage

£385 rent
£90 council tax
£120 bills
£80 food etc

not leaving much left over for the month