Housing benefit/bedroom tax advice..

[Ceejay123]

I'm asking for a family member as I'm not affected by the housing benefit changes, due to being private rented/not on housing benefit.

This family member has a four bed council house. Rent is £400 PCM, and only two people live there. (Her and a child). She doesn't want to give up the home she's been in for years, against my advice as she can't really afford it. She can't work due to childcare for at least another year, then it's when she can find a job.

She was told a couple of months ago (now I don't know how honest she's being here...) that there was a mix up with her rent and that she's been left in £1200 of rent arrears. I assume there's more behind that, as she seems to be telling me that's over a few months, which would mean non-payment, but I assume shes embarrassed and doesn't want to let any more information about it go. Either way she's in £1200 of arrears. The council sent her a letter today telling her they want to evict her, due to none payment of her arrears.

She called them to ask why her housing benefit was being reduced and to try to work out a payment schedule for her arrears. They told her they'd accept £5 minimum a week. However, out of £100 per week she receives in housing benefit, they're taking £40 for the bedroom tax, so £160 PCM. This'll make it impossible for her to meet her rent, never mind pay back arrears. I did some digging for her, after she found out a friend in a similar situation is only having £23 taken a week... And it seems for 2+ rooms (correct me if I'm wrong as I've never dealt with it) that they're supposed to take 25% of your housing benefit? So why are they taking 40% of hers? I told her to ask them if it was also including a £15 per week payment to her arrears, she was told no. She's at her wits end and has been talked down to on the phone. She wants me to go to the council building with her next week to ask what's going on, but I'd like to be clued up before I do!

I don't understand how she's gotten into this mess bless her, but I feel obligated to help her try to sort her way out of it for her child's sake.. He's 3.

Thanks

 

[R_x]

I'm not sure but I thought they didn't use the housing benefit for bedroom tax? That had to come out of other benefits they receive. Xx

 

[Ceejay123]

I'm not sure but I thought they didn't use the housing benefit for bedroom tax? That had to come out of other benefits they receive. Xx

I've no idea, I think she said they take it straight from the housing benefit she receives, so instead of £100 per week she gets £60 give or take. X

 

[suzib76]

I think she isn't being honest with you

 

[hayz_baby]

I thought hb always took into account bedroom tax, but u would pay more if u had more rooms then needed. I private rent and also am in receipt of hb and and only get a lha of a 2 bed which is what we need, if we lived in a 3 bed we would still have a lha for a 2 bed.
It sounds quite complicated. Maybe if you explain that it is all she can afford they will accept a payment plan. I thought that they had to accept whatever u can afford?
Sorry I can't help but I hope u can sort something

 

[suzib76]

Sorry posted too soon there, the housing benefit is reduced by the amount of bedroom tax, but I think the figure she is giving isnt entirely accurate. My dad has 2 spare rooms and his reduction was £22

 

[vhal_x]

The maximum that they can take per week out of your HB (except in unusual circumstances) is £10 or so per week to repay overpayments (or debt) - could it be that that is coming out of her HB (£40 4 weekly) ? xx

 

[Ceejay123]

She said her new entitlement letter has told her she'll be receiving £60, whereas she used to receive £100 per week.

I'll be going over in the next couple of days to look at the entitlement letter. They've told her the £40 per week is the amount deducted because of her spare bedrooms, but to me that just doesn't add up as its supposed to be a 25% cap, which would be £25 per week, not £40. Hopefully I'll make more sense of her letter! X

 

[hayz_baby]

Tbh they make these things so f ing complicated and it can vary from council to council. They make it complicated so that if they do make a mistake it's so hard to realise no one ever knows! Wen we first claimed hb we were told we wouldn't receive a lot at all (we were struggling at the time and were looking into every avenue going to keep our heads above) I don't even know to this day how my oh spotted this mistake as I wouldn't of spotted it in a million years but they put something wrong and miscalculated by a fair amount of money. We appealed and won ad that money kept us alive iykwim. Anyway I hope u get to the bottom of it as something surely cat b right x

 

[DanielleM]

Is there no way she will move. From the government/council POV they see 2 people living in a 4 bed council house that would suit a family of 6/7/8, they will reduce the money and practically force her to move out. You family member is going to be forced into poverty which is the reasoning behind it. Totally wrong in my opinion but hey ho, this bedroom tax is here to stay!!

 

[Ceejay123]

Is there no way she will move. From the government/council POV they see 2 people living in a 4 bed council house that would suit a family of 6/7/8, they will reduce the money and practically force her to move out. You family member is going to be forced into poverty which is the reasoning behind it. Totally wrong in my opinion but hey ho, this bedroom tax is here to stay!!

I've told her to move, she's adamant she won't as she's lived in this house for 17-18 years. Personally I don't have anything against the bedroom tax, but then again I'm not affected. I think she should be in a two bedroom place.. But I also understand she feels that her house is actually hers... But at the end of the day it's not. I understand why the government are doing it, they're going to upset quite a few people but I see both sides. Little miss sit on the fence here!

 

[Princess Lou]

It's a 14% reduction for under occupying one room, 25% for two or more.

Sounds like she's either not telling you the whole truth, they are taking the rent arrears from her or they aren't telling her something.

The quicker she gets to the offices and has it sorted, the better it will be for her.

Best of luck.

https://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare-reform/bedroom-tax

 

[Ceejay123]

It's a 14% reduction for under occupying one room, 25% for two or more.

Sounds like she's either not telling you the whole truth, they are taking the rent arrears from her or they aren't telling her something.

The quicker she gets to the offices and has it sorted, the better it will be for her.

Best of luck.

https://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare-reform/bedroom-tax

Thank you, that's exactly what I read. I'm going to hers on Monday to call them with her, if they don't take me seriously on the phone ill go down with her. X

 

[Princess Lou]

It's a 14% reduction for under occupying one room, 25% for two or more.

Sounds like she's either not telling you the whole truth, they are taking the rent arrears from her or they aren't telling her something.

The quicker she gets to the offices and has it sorted, the better it will be for her.

Best of luck.

https://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare-reform/bedroom-tax

Thank you, that's exactly what I read. I'm going to hers on Monday to call them with her, if they don't take me seriously on the phone ill go down with her. X

You might not get much response on Monday with it being a Bank Holiday, most people working in the call centers tend to be bitchy and short tempered. Lol. Maybe wait until Tuesday, probably get better advice and more sympathetic people.

Hope she gets it sorted soon.

 

[KrissyC]

It really sounds like Shea forgetting to tell you something. The extra £15 they are taking could be to cover an overpayment if HB. Have her circumstances changed and has she not told them? Also ask her if she has agreed to get someones post delivered to her home that is working. One of my tenants did that and hb are claiming back nearly a year's worth of rent. Silly things like that make an impact. Hope you get sorted. X