You have been so helpful. It would appear that the new LHA rate is exactly the same as the old one so that is really good news. Yes i have a partner but if we submit a new claim we will have to re apply for direct payment to our LL (he only accepted us on this condition) and as we had to jump through hoops for this i doubt it would be accepted again. If we only have to manage until April i think we can just manage this. You have taken such a load off our mind, thank you

So if this is the case we only have to get through to April not December. Although i realise the new LHA rate may be lower than the current one.

Thank you so much for your advice. Submitting a new claim is a really good idea and i'd not thought of it before. i don't think i could do it because at present the LA pay the LL directly which he had to reduce the rent to secure this, as he won't be able to do this again, its a no go. However when i contacted the LA i asked about the anniversary dates being abolished, I was told this wouldn't affect us as our renewal date wasn't until December and the the new renewals were only applying to those with an anniversary date between January and March. Which of course ours would have been had it not been moved to December. Is this correct? Many thanks once again

Sorry this is a long winded, but here goes. January 2012 we moved into our present home,which is a four bedroomed property. The landlord reduced the rent as he wanted to be paid HB directly to him. The rent was agreed at £825.00 pcm, LHA rate was £725.00 pcm, we pay a £100.00 pcm shortfall directly to him every month. The advertised rent for the property was £1100 so he reduced it by £275.00. He did say when we had been here 12 months the rent would go back up to the £1100.00. We weren't concerned about this because by then we were entitled to the four bedroomed LHA rate as our son reached 16 early in December and as our other two children, a boy and a girl are 9 and 12 we knew were entitled to a four bedroomed property. Early in December the LA assessed our claim again due to a change of circumstances (son reaching 16) they then paid 100% of the rent meaning we didn't have to top up. In January the rent increased to £1100, the council were informed of the proposed increase in November. The LHA now came in at £950.00 pcm leaving us to top up £150 which we felt we could afford, as i am severly disabled and the house is ideal for me we felt it was worth the extra money. A few days ago the council contacted me to tell me although we are DEFINATLY entitled to a four bedroomed property and the LHA that goes with it, BUT they can't pay it, because due to my son becoming 16 this resulted in a change of circumstances hence changing the anniversary date of our claim. So what was January 23rd now became December 4th. They went on to tell me that an increase in the rate can only be considered on the anniversary and not before. So this meant they can't pay the rate we are entitled to until December 2013. I have applied for DHP but we were turned down for that as well, because the DM decided to take into account my DLA. Although it is disregarded for HB it is totally up to the DM if they decide to take it into account for DHP. Totally at a loss now what to do, this house has been adapted for my needs, stair lift etc so i really don't want to move. Any help would be great Many thanks

hi, wondered if someone can help with this question. we have lived in our privatly rented property now for six years. its let through a letting agent. I have become over the last few years severly disabled, so much so that my partner has now had to leave his job to look after me full time. we have just been awarded IS and told today, CA, i already claim SDA, and DLA HRC & HRM. We have a visit from our letting agent tomorrow, just the usual, to check everything is ok. I want to broach the subject of HB with him, is there anyway he can kick us out because we are going to need to claim HB. Our rent is well within the LHA so thats not a problem, i know there is no mortgage on the house so its not buy to let. Hope someone can advise. many thanks in advance

many thanks, no we didn't claim wtc as it it only now that my children can live with us fulltime as he is going to be home, another good reason. thanks again

Hi this is my first post so i hope i'm asking in the right place. I have posed a similar question on another site but all the answers i got were why my partner should stay at work and not look after me!!! so be gentle : ) My partner has recently given up work to look after me full time, a friend already claims CA for looking after me so we have told the carers allowence people that there has been a change of carer and my partner has submitted a carers allowence claim form. I also get SDA & DLA. Thats all fine and i have no problem with any of that. We will have to claim IS, now this is the bit where i get confused, when you read the DWP website it contains IS rates and premiums, its the child premium that i can't understand. I know for new claims you can't get the child element its replaced with CTC, but when i have done a calculation the CTC comes up at no where near the £56.11 (per child) Personal allowence which IS states you need to live on. I know it depends on how much you earn but i read that if you were claiming IS you got max CTC. The last calculation i did was on entitledto, which came up at £71.42 per week for the three children. If anyone can shed some light i really would be most grateful. Thanks