Housing Benefit help..?

[kandbumpx]

Me and FOB have recently broke up, so I'm looking for a place of my own!
- I do work, but I'm obviously on Maternity leave at the min.

I worked it out if I don't go back to work I'd get my housing paid for, if I go back part-time I'd get some of it paid for.

Anyway my question is... As I'm not working at the min.. Do I declare I'm not working or I am working? And will be SMP effect what they give me to housing benefit?

Hope that makes sense - I'm so confused lol - Never claimed housing benefit before!

 

[leahsbabybump]

yes hun because your mat pay comes from the employer you have to declare it
i get my mat pay from job centre so get tret as if im on benefits iykwim
whilst every were off on maternity even though we arent there weare classed as employed
this is what i got told anyway :-/

 

[kandbumpx]

Ohhh that's crap! Think I'm better off waiting until I finish mat leave in January to get a place then.. Or I'd barely be able to live :/

 

[leahsbabybump]

if you tell work your not going back then they may stop your mat pay then you can claim

 

[xxembobxx]

On the HB form they will ask you what your income is and make the calculation on that. If yo receive SMP I imagine you would get almost full HB as it's not much more than Income Support rates.
Have you tried entitledto.com as that gives HB estimates as well as benefits/ tax credits estimates based on your circumstances.
Also any maintenance you get from FOB will not be counted as income for HB or tax credit calculations

 

[kandbumpx]

Yea I've been on the entitled to website but I didn't know
Whether to declare I'm working or not... Because at min, I'm not with been on maternity leave

 

[xxembobxx]

I know on the HMRC website it says if you are on ML then to put that you are working so I imagine it is the same with entitledto.
I guess it's the fact that SMP is taxable whereas most benefits are not so they need to know that as your gross income will not be your net income.

 

[NikkiLisa]

Hey Hun, I private rent a 2 bed house and am also on smp. I claimed for HB just before i left work and based on my income i get £30 a week, i started my mat leave last week and they said they will re-calculate and then when the baby gets here i will get most of it paid fo me as i will be entitled to a 2 bed then. xx