Housing benefit reduced dramatically

[singlemom]

Hi everyone. I am new. So please forgive me if I have posted in an incorrect place.

I am a single mum with three teenage daughters. (youngest 13 and eldest two at Uni)
I have no child maintenance as my ex is on disability allowance.

Since early 2009 I have rented privately and have done very well clearing a lot of debts. (I still unfortunately, have quite a few remaining). I have never been late paying rent.
My landlord (I rent through estate agency) put the rent up a further 50 pounds a month in January 2012. Housing benefit explained due to recent changes it would not make a difference to the benefit I received.

September my middle daughter went off to Uni. I have lost just over 100 pounds a month in housing benefit. It seems such a vast drop. Obviously, I understand it also affects your tax credits and child benefit.
I had to help my daughter in the beginning as rent has taken up most of her student loan. She has to have ensuite as she is ill with Crohns. She has been advised to apply for disability allowance to help her.
But I have been helping her financially. To my horror I realize I am 200 pounds short for my rent this month. (it needs to be paid on 6th November) . I did not realize I was going to have such a big reduction in housing benefit.
The agency normally asks me to extend my contract in December. So I do not want to start with late payments. I have been excellent up to now.
Where do I try and find the 200 pounds shortfall? Housing benefit have sympathised with me but have not really helped.
I am paying such high priority bills...gas, electricity and also council tax.
If I go for a payday loan I have ridiculous charges. I am still trying to pay one payday loan company off.
I have a current account with the Halifax. Someone told me to apply for an overdraft. They said if you have a current account they do not normally credit check you for an overdraft?
I do not have a good credit reference at all. Although, they passed me for a current account? I have a couple of defaults. There is also going to be a possible CCJ. So I need to get credit before then. (However, with the CCJ (Drydens solicitors) they have not been able to provide me with original paperwork. (I requested it six weeks ago)
I am tempted to contact the agency. I normally pay my rent on the 6th of each month. I would be able to pay the full amount on the 12th. Or I could pay the rent minus 200 pounds short on the 6th and pay the remaining balance on the 12th. However, I don't want this to affect my chances of my contract being extended. I have lived here for almost four years.)
I am very stressed out as I am ill with depression and work full time. So any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks.

[leclerc]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Ask the bank for an overdraft how if you do not have a good credit record then you will in all likelihood be declined. You will be from what I have seen. If your daughter is at Uni does she have a student overdraft(I know this might sound cheeky but can any of the girls help you out?)

This info is for your daughter with Crohns, she will be declined when she applies for DLA(if that is what she will apply for), she needs to appeal and it may well be granted. I have been made aware that many DLA Claimants get their first claim rejected and then it is successful on appeal. For some reason, they seem to think that people will simply not bother appealing. Hope that part helps your daughter.

[singlemom]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Thank you for your reply Leclerc. My daughter does not have an overdraft yet. She is home for the weekend, should I encourage her to apply for one? My eldest daughter at Uni is having debt problems herself. Therefore, I am sort of helping her out.
It would make logical sense if my middle daughter would apply for an overdraft. I would be able to repay her one week after she lends me money.

I will give her the advice regarding the DLA. The problem is she has a severe case of Crohns. Therefore, she had to have her own ensuite accommodation. However, it has left her with very little money to live on.
My ex husband is on DLA. He appealed and won in the end.
One lesson I have learned is that without an emergency fund you are literally stuffed. It is imperative I start putting money away each month. It will be very hard as I do not have much spare cash. However, if I had an emergency fund problems with dramatic drop in housing benefit would not be an issue.

[singlemom]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

My daughter and i have just realized she has not been upgraded to a Student Account. So, she will be applying when she returns to Uni on Monday. On line they offered her a 250 pound overdraft. I am wondering if she should try a different bank? (currently banks with Nat West). Also she told me that she thought she applied for a student account. Instead, they upgraded her to Current plus.
If all else fails...I might just have to be honest with the agency. If I have had an excellent record up to now I am assuming it would not make a major difference. It is just I am coming up to the month where they ask if you want to review your contract. I have been here four years.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

BUMPED.

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Your daughter's university should have an adviser for students with disdabilities, who can give her infomraiton about the help available. I think there is a separate souce of assistance for students with disabilitiees, rather than DLA or access to work, but similar to both of these. She should ask her student union for advice, and for an appointment with the union's Welfare Officer.

Both you and she could check if there are any benevolent funds or charities who can assist you; there is a lot of infomraiton about these, and about benefit entitiement on the sitr Turn To Us http://www.turn2us.org.uk/

[Magrew]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

There is a fund, it is called DSA. It is usually only for assistance and equipment for your educational needs. It may be possible to argue that the accommodation is an educational need since the Crohns could prevent her going to uni if she did not have appropriate facilities. It is quite a generous fund if you can justify the requirements.

I have UC so I understand the need, haven't had need to claim DLA yet but there have been weeks when I thought about it. It can be very disruptive in your life.

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students...-dsas#overview

[singlemom]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Thank you for your replies!
The doctor near the University Campus has been excellent in providing all the relevant documentation to the DSA. My daughter said she has applied but they take normally six weeks to come to a decision.
The hospital have also stated that she would not be able to live in accommodation with shared toilet facilities.
I have also mentioned to my daughter to apply for an emergency fund from the Uni to keep her going.
It is just having this drastic housing benefit cut is really making me struggle. The housing benefit office have stated that since two daughters are at University they should not be relying on me financially.
I am half tempted to apply for an overdraft on my current account. (to do it online) However, I cannot risk having a credit check. Though, they must have credit checked me to open the current account. (it has only been open since September 2012). I am not sure if the Halifax give a pre approved offer before you apply.
For example when they opened the account, could they have set a limit?

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Could you go in to a branch and enquire further ratehr thaan apply online ?

I am glad your daughter is gettng support about her health. If there is an emergency fund she cna get help from whilst the DSA is assessed, she should use it. I would expect her to get high priority for this help.

[alham]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

There should be a bank attached to the uni (ask in SU). Also, there are funds to buy equipmernt, etc... Ask wellfare officer in SU.

[alham]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

AND stay away from an overdraft unless you have to - you will be just piling on debt. Sorry to say but you may have to consider moving - rents will be going up, and affordable properties disappearing. Until families are forced out on streets the David, Osbrainless and Co will do nothing - they have to make sure that their buddies, bankers, can carry on receiving state money, don't you know.

[singlemom]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Once I have cleared the rent arrears I have to go on an economy drive. I agree with with you guys are saying. My aim is to start saving monthly until I have an emergency fund.
The sad part about it is I got into financial difficulties when I increased my hours at work! I feel like I have been punished for sinning and deciding to work full time!

[singlemom]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

Just to update you guys. Housing Benefit have increased my allowance as I now receive less tax credits. I also e mailed someone from the benefit department for advice. He explained, although I have two daughters at Uni (I also have a 13 year old at home) I will still receive LHA for them while they are at Uni. He went on to say that he is aware that certain housing authorities ignore this.
My only option is a big economy drive. I now need to concentrate on reducing my energy bills. Sorting out Council tax. (they claim I owed them some money from last year). I pay 170 pounds a month. So I need to look methodically at my account as it looks like some payments have been lost. Have a lovely weekend everyone x

[enquirer]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

I have been made aware that many DLA Claimants get their first claim rejected and then it is successful on appeal. For some reason, they seem to think that people will simply not bother appealing.

True. A friend who worked for many years at the DWP told me that a proportion of claims are automatically rejected (whether genuine or not), simply because they know that many people won't appeal. He than went on to comment that some staff were so lazy that they couldn't even be bothered to do that, preferring instead to simply throw claims straight in the trash.

I have personal experience of 3 claims mysteriously vanishing in this manner.

[singlemom]

Re: Housing benefit reduced dramatically

My daughter has been told they will give her a decision in six weeks. The university have been fantastic helping with her medical requirements while studying. They understand she is now on two sets of medication.
The problem is if she is not awarded DLA, I cannot cope with financing her. She has taken the cheapest accommodation with her own toilet/shower room. However, the money left for living costs is far too low.
I am trying to persuade her to see a Finance Officer at the Uni.
The lesson I have learned from all this it is imperative to try and SAVE!!! One of the reasons I run into financial difficulty is because I do not have savings.