Please help my head is spinning

[cinnomen]

Hey, Things have not been great for me for a while now, I have been living with my parents and depending on them for everything and this has caused many problems, I have one friend who I have known for many years and he also suffers from mental health issues.
He has been very bad since his mum died in Jan, He has no family and my mum and dad look upon him as their son I see him as my brother and best friend.
We talked about how bad things are for him and mum and dad offered him to leave his flat and move into their house in the spare room..then as it was all planned my little sister came back home, she is pregnant and myself and her do not get on at all.
Of course now there is no room for my friend to move in, I cannot move in with him as there is only one bedroom in his flat and this wouldn't feel right sharing a room.
So we found a two bedroom property together and we move in tomorrow.
I am concerned as to what we do about our benefits. I am on income support he is on incapacity and DLA.
Will our benefits be affected as we live together? we just had to do something neither of us were happy where we are and we had to find a solution, moving in together we hope will give us the strength to get well, myself away from the problems at home and him not lonely anymore.
We still will depend on my parents heavily for shopping and things but this way we can kinda of hope to become independent too.
How will it work as we are of the opposite sex? does this matter? there is no way we would ever have an relationship I could never look at him in that way, we are like brother and sister.
I would appreciate your advice as we are scared now incase we did the wrong thing...its scary as dont know what will happen with our benefits or housing benefits.
thanks so much for reading xxx

[strugglingmum]

Re: Please help my head is spinning

Hi hun, I work for my local council in housing benefits, I haven't been there long and only work part time so please dont take my advice as gospel but in cases similar to yours I've seen no difference in the housing benefit given because you are both on benefits.

Also, the second person often claims a carers allowance if the other is claiming DLA and this still entitles both to housing benefit at the full rate unless either of you have any other income. I know absolutely nothing about any other benefits, just housing allowances in my local council. x

[enaid]

Re: Please help my head is spinning

Hi cinnomen,
If I were you I would get in touch with the Benefits Office and ask them where you stand. It is different rules when you are sharing accomodation or are indeed a carer, than when you are living as a couple.
If you are dubious about getting in touch with them, then if your friend has a social worker or the such then maybe a good idea to contact them and get a full benefit check.
Your friend could be entitled to Attendance Allowance and you yourself Carers Allownace.
Hope this helps Enaid x

[shas]

Re: Please help my head is spinning

Hi,

As a single person, with a mental health problem - depression..
I get full incapacity benefit, dla, income support, full ctb, full housing benefit.... I get a premium of approx £50 a week on my income support because nobody claims carers allowance for me...

I imagine that if its just a house share, youd both get half of the council tax & housing benefit each. Can I ask why the person claiming incapacity doesnt get income support already?
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I've got the 2009/10 Disability rights handbook & the welfare benefits & tax credits handbook... I'll try & help if I can find it in 1 of them!
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*** Regarding the housing benefit... it depends if both of you are liable for the rent under your agreement with the landlord. If only 1 of you is, then only that person can claim hb. If you have joint liability... you can both make seperate claims & be paid housing benefit on your share.