Housing benefit, bedroom tax and a lodger

[luci and bump]

So, I currently live in a 3 bedroom house, with my ex-partner, two of his friends and our LO. My partner wants me to move out, but there literally is no 2 bedroom houses in Cardiff.
I will be entitled to £550 a month housing benefit, but once my ex and his friends move out, there will be a spare bedroom. If I was to get a lodger, how would that affect everything? I'm going to try get some advice, but obviously being bank holiday weekend, it's going to be a few days until I can get it all sorted. He's told me one of us needs to be out by June 18th, so the sooner I know my rights etc the better! Because my head is a wreck and I'm worried I'm going to end up homeless!!

 

[mummylove]

Whos place was it in first place? Think he should be the one to move out as u have a baby

 

[Shezza84uk]

Is this a council or housing association property? If so I would downsize you can do this by going on homeswappers and find a 2 bed that suits you another thing is when you downsize you get £2000 cash incentive. If it is a private let you would usually get deducted the bedroom tax before the rules came in X

 

[luci and bump]

Its a private rent. I've been searching for a 2 bed property for the past 3 weeks, but all that is available is flats, which isn't practical with a baby when there is no lift. We moved in there together, so neither of us has more rights than the other. And he'll be having LO 3 nights a week too.