LHA/Housing Benefit

[MummyJade]

Im totally confused!

My rent is 800 pcm..
the council told me i would have to pay £77 a month of my own money
to make up 2 £800..
i just got my 1st payment of LHA £333.70
but two payments of that is only £667.40

so im left paying £132.60
i rang and asked and the lady said its cos its fortnightly not pcm!
so i will only have to pay the £77!
but i am so confused when to i set the Direct Debet to landlord?!

any help would be great if i havent confused you all

thank you

xx

 

[MummyGooch]

It is a really annoying system. Basically, it works out that you get around 2 payments a month (every other week) for the rent. Then every few months you will get an 'extra' third payment because of how most months aren't exactly 4 weeks long. This extra payment is the money that would make up the correct balance of those per calender month rents

The system is like this because council rent is usually paid weekly, whereas private renting is nearly always per calender month. It's shit and means you'll be some money down until they eventually catch up every few months

 

[Jemma_x]

My housing benefit is paid every 4 weeks, when i went to my local council to apply i had the option of her doing the form with me there or i could take the form away. I choose to do it there with the council women and one of the questions was would i like the money payed every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks

 

[MummyJade]

I never got the 4 weekly option! thanks that makes more sense to me now!
So i gotta pay the 132 a month till there is a 5 week month!
what a load of crap! it was so much better then the council just paid the landlord xx
thank you ladies xx