Thread: Housing Benefit vs Local Housing Allowance

I currently rent a flat at £400 per month and receive full housing benefit under the old system due to being on income support. Local housing allowance for my flat is up to £550.

If my claim was under the new LHA system, I would receive £400 per month plus £15 per week. My local authority says I can only change to LHA if there is a break in my claim, or if I move. I don't intend to move, so what I want to know is: How long a break would I have to take? And can I just say that I want to stop my claim for that period?

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Hey Robin

I'm hoping this gets bumped up as I'm interested in your situation. I'm caught in a catch 22 with the LHA myself. I came off Income Support and started working and so had my HB entitlement recalculated at the LHA rate of around £178 per week which is what it was when I first moved into my place despite the current rate being around £196 per week. Apparently I have to stay at the lower rate unless I move or there's a break, change of circumstance with your income isn't enough for them to review it. Its very annoying as the extra £20 a week would be very useful!

I really don't know how long a break you need to take, I wonder if Citizens Advice could give you some better advice, I'm often made to feel I'm wasting my local council's time if I ring up with a benefit query....

I'd be very interested to hear if you've found a way to get the extra you should be entitled to.

Nas

I did this.
My Landlord told me to take a break from Housing Benefit.
I basically just went into the Council and told them I needed to take a break and told them honestly why I wanted to do that (to get onto LHA).
Thing is, I ended up worse off. On Housing Benefit I was £3 a week shy of my rent, I'm now £10 a week shy of my rent so I have to find £40 a month for my Landlord.
It's a stitch-up invented by the lazy Councils who dont want to visit homes to assess them for rent any more.

I live in Plymouth,Devon and our Council are too busy pandering to the whims of the posh flats that block our views of the Sea, we call them 'second-homes'.
Because they're so busy pandering to the snobs, us REAL Plymouthians are treated like scum.

You may find this site useful:
https://lha-direct.therentservice.go...hType=PostCode

I did this.

My rent was £450 PCM, and HB would only pay up to £425 PCM. LHA however paid £495 PCM!

I had a weeks break in my claim then reclaimed for LHA - being allowed to keep the extra, and not having to find the difference, meant it was worth finding the weeks rent myself.

Normally a weeks break will put you on the LHA, reason for this is that it must be a new claim in order entitlement to be based on LHA. Assuming you receive council tax benefit this should remain continuous as in law HB and CTB claims are separate.

im a council tennant does this apply to me?