CAB bedroom tax charge calculating tool released by the CAB.

[sdys15453]

I just found these Q&As on the local housing association website:

 

Sorry, I can't give the link, the forums won't let me with me being a newbie.

 

***

 

We look at a few examples of how the changes could affect different households.

 

I have lived in the same two bedroom house for 30 years. I am 75 and don’t think that I could cope with moving house. What will happen to me?

 

Kenneth, York

 

The Advisor says: Kenneth, you don’t have any reason to worry. The under occupation penalty only affects people of working age, so anyone between the ages of 16 and 61, meaning the changes will not affect you.

***

 

We live in a three bedroom house. My son is six and my daughter will be ten next June, do the under-occupation changes mean that we will have to move?

 

Janek, Doncaster

 

The Advisor says: Although the under-occupation rules mean that you qualify for a two bedroom house, within three months of the changes to the rules (which will happen in April 2013), you would qualify for a three bedroom house.

 

I would advise that you start making some savings now if you can, so that for those three months you can afford to pay the difference in your housing benefit.

 

***

Our children have left home, so we know that our housing benefit will be reduced because of under-occupation. Do you have any advice about what we should do?

 

Jean, Skipton

 

The Advisor says: You may want to consider moving into a smaller home. You can do this through a mutual exchange or registering on a Choice Based Lettings system and bidding for smaller properties.

 

Alternatively, if you’d like to stay in your home, you could consider taking in a lodger. Get in touch with your Neighbourhood Officer to find out more about these options.

***

 

I live on my own for most of the week but my children come to visit at the weekend. I have two bedrooms that they stay in when they visit, will my benefit be reduced?

 

Donald, Malton

 

The Advisor says: Your benefit will be reduced by 25% because your children are not classed as living with you. Perhaps you can enquire about taking some more hours on at work to boost your income.

 

We understand that this may not be easy at the moment but we are here to help and can offer and suggest a number of training and work experience opportunities. And, make sure that you are claiming all the benefits that you are entitled to. If you don’t already do it, start budgeting carefully, there may be small savings that you can make each week that will help towards the shortfall such as changing your energy provider.

 

For budgeting and benefits advice, why not make an appointment with your Money and Benefits Advisor?

 

***

My wife sleeps in the spare room because she has a respiratory disease. Will our benefits be reduced?

 

Frank, Wakefield

 

The Advisor says: Your benefits will be reduced because the under occupancy rules say that an adult couple are entitled to one room. The government has put more money into housing payments for situations like yours so make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to.

***

 

I’m worried about the benefit changes. I’m a single mum on housing benefit and have two sons over 18. Will I still be able to afford to live in my house?

 

Maria, York

 

The Advisor says: Because your sons are over 18, they may be classed as non-dependants. A non-dependant is someone who lives with you who is over 18. I expect that you already have money deducted from your housing benefit for this, but those deductions will increase in April 2013.

 

The amount deducted will depend on whether your sons work (and for how long each week) and whether they are eligible for other benefits. If either of your sons is a full time student, has been in hospital for a long period of time, is in prison or you are claiming middle or high rate Disability Living Allowance, no deduction to your housing benefit will be made.

 

If none of the above apply, then perhaps you could ask your sons to pay half each towards the shortfall?

 

Your sons can also claim housing benefit in their own right, so make sure that you’re all claiming everything you are entitled to.

***

 

I’m on Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and have heard that there are going to be changes. Can you tell me what those changes are?

 

Betty, Harrogate

 

The Advisor says: DLA will have a new name, Personal Independence Payment, or PIP, from April 2013. This is a tax free benefit for children and adults with disabilities to help cope with the extra cost of living for people with a disability.

 

All working age claimants of DLA will be reassessed for PIP, which does mean that some working age claimants may have their benefits reduced.

 

If this does happen, contact your Benefits & Money Advisor for advice and support.

[hessey50]

Heres a thought

"Indirect sexual discrimination applies to policies and practices which, in reality, disadvantage one gender considerably more than another although on the face of it, they seem to apply to both sexes equally. For example, a requirement to work full time might be more of a bar for women than men." Direct Gov.

I have two children my daughter lives with me 24/7 but my son is 50/50 min often longer but:

"when there is shared child care even if it is 50/50 the Child Benefit goes to the mother" Child Benefit office.

Most fathers therefore are disadvantaged because more males work full time and only have children for 2/3 days or even if 50/50 child benefit goes to the mother. Child benefit is the key as to the residence of a child and therefore under occupation plus the key to other benefits.

I am either going to have to fight over getting child benefit or will be 14% down on Housing Benefit.

Isn't this policy state discrimination?

[id6052]

Your sons can also claim housing benefit in their own right, so make sure that you’re all claiming everything you are entitled to.

 

This is incorrect as the sons would not be eligible for HB

 

Child benefit is the key as to the residence of a child and therefore under occupation plus the key to other benefits.

 

For HB purposes, the issue is which household the child spends most time in.

 

So if child spends 4 or more days per week in one household and 3 or less in other, the child is included in first household. (irrespective of who receives child benefit)

 

Receipt of Child Benefit would only be relevant if a child spent equal amounts of time in 2 or more households

Edited November 10, 2012 by id6052

[hessey50]

The Housing benefit forms clearly state re number of children that you can only claim for those that you are in receipt of child benefit for, raised the issue with CAB and the Housing Association Benefits Officer and told the same. In my case the split is over last 75 days 58 nights with me. Do you have any regs that I can quote?

 

Part 2 – The people living with you - children

Please give details of all children for whom you receive child benefit. If you have more children please

supply these details on page 14. Current evidence of child benefit will need to be supplied.

Edited November 10, 2012 by hessey50

[id6052]

Regulation 20 of Housing Benefit Regulations 2006

 

20.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation a person shall be treated as responsible for a child or young person who is normally living with him and this includes a child or young person to whom paragraph (3) of regulation 19 applies.

(2) Where a child or young person spends equal amounts of time in different households, or where there is a question as to which household he is living in, the child or young person shall be treated for the purposes of paragraph (1) as normally living with—

(a)the person who is receiving child benefit in respect of him; or

(b)if there is no such person—

(i)where only one claim for child benefit has been made in respect of him, the person who made that claim, or

(ii)in any other case the person who has the primary responsibility for him.

(3) For the purposes of these Regulations a child or young person shall be the responsibility of only one person in any benefit week and any person other than the one treated as responsible for the child or young person under this regulation shall be treated as not so responsible.

[sdys15453]

Heres a thought

"Indirect sexual discrimination applies to policies and practices which, in reality, disadvantage one gender considerably more than another although on the face of it, they seem to apply to both sexes equally. For example, a requirement to work full time might be more of a bar for women than men." Direct Gov.

I have two children my daughter lives with me 24/7 but my son is 50/50 min often longer but:

"when there is shared child care even if it is 50/50 the Child Benefit goes to the mother" Child Benefit office.

Most fathers therefore are disadvantaged because more males work full time and only have children for 2/3 days or even if 50/50 child benefit goes to the mother. Child benefit is the key as to the residence of a child and therefore under occupation plus the key to other benefits.

I am either going to have to fight over getting child benefit or will be 14% down on Housing Benefit.

Isn't this policy state discrimination?

 

Unfortunately, you'll probably not have a leg to stand on where gender/sexual discrimination is concerned.

 

A friend of mine has a friend's child staying over with her weeknights, because youngster's lone parent dad works away Monday-Friday. Dad gets the child benefit, my friend doesn't, so in theory, my friend will probably have her housing benefit cut despite this arrangement. She gets no money for the child's keep from lone parent dad because he was happy to leave the 13 year old home-alone all week while he went to work 180 miles away, Monday to Friday. Short of social services and court intervening, it would appear she is stuck.

[Nystagmite]

Anyone know if the law has changed in regards to a disabled child having their own room?

[firstship]

Each article I read including the local council's refer only to Council Housing and Housing Association properties is this correct and it doe's not apply to Private Rental?

 

There are 2 of us in a private rented property with 2 bedrooms,we need space to look after our 2 grandchildren various weekends in the year,will this stop the council reducing our Housing Benefit?

 

Thought also of re classifying our house as a 1 bedroom with office,would this work?

 

Regards FS

[debt4get]

no this will not stop them....the grandchildrens main home will be classed as their residence, and if you fall into the age range this will affect your entitlement regardless of whether the children stay at the weekend or not....i believe if you are over retirement age then the new rules will not affect any entitlement...whether you can reclassify or not i am not too sure and maybe someone else may know

[firstship]

Thanks debt4get,,,,,,,We are retired so perhaps it will not hit us. as usual it is an ill thought out change in the system.The theory of releasing Council/Housing Association property where a single person is living in a 3 bed house for example is a good idea,so the obvious course of action is to insert a clause in the contracts,problem solved.

 

That seems to easy?

 

FS

[MARTIN3030]

Anyone know if the law has changed in regards to a disabled child having their own room?

 

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/care/peer-calls-for-disabled-exemption-to-bedroom-tax/6524242.article?MsgId=63599

[debt4get]

Thanks debt4get,,,,,,,We are retired so perhaps it will not hit us. as usual it is an ill thought out change in the system.The theory of releasing Council/Housing Association property where a single person is living in a 3 bed house for example is a good idea,so the obvious course of action is to insert a clause in the contracts,problem solved.

 

That seems to easy?

 

FS

like all govt policies lately, they seem ill thought out, and pandering to the right wing element of this country who seem to believe that we are all nothing but scrounging 'sc#m' who do nothing but take take take from society....the end result of these policies will be a rise in homelessness and people being pushed to the brink whilst trying to maintain a roof over their heads for themselves and family...hope everything works out for you...

[id6052]

Each article I read including the local council's refer only to Council Housing and Housing Association properties is this correct and it doe's not apply to Private Rental?

 

There are 2 of us in a private rented property with 2 bedrooms,we need space to look after our 2 grandchildren various weekends in the year,will this stop the council reducing our Housing Benefit?

 

Thought also of re classifying our house as a 1 bedroom with office,would this work?

 

Regards FS

 

Most private lets are already restricted by the size criteria (based upon Rent Officer/LHA rates).

 

Next year's changes are to bring social housing into line with private lets.