Income Support review host family question

[greyhound dog]

Hi

I have just received a income support review form I am long term disabled my husband is my career and I receive IS IB DLA I have had a Atos review via DLA and qualified.

I was in trouble with my mortgage and went for assistance as instructed to my local authority who made a payment to assist of £200 PCM toward short fall for a period of ? 4 months. At my local council they told me that I could rent a room in my house and it would not affect my benefit.

As I am disabled and I have small children I didn't want to rent a room to a stranger but provided the room as a host family for foreign students 17 - 21 on a sporadic basis until now. All monies received were paid directly to my mortgage account.

I am wondering now if the information I was given by the council was correct ? They were quite adamant that I did this I even gave up the room I used to sleep in when I cannot manage the stairs and due to continuing neurological difficulties I found this extremely stressful.

I do not wish to hide anything on this form but I am wondering if this now will be classed as an income although I was assured and indeed forced to do this by the council?

I wonder if anyone can advise

GD

[greyhound dog]

Re: Income Support review host family question

I now think I posted this in the wrong forum :/

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Income Support review host family question

Hi sorry you havent had an answer as yet, its a sunday and a little quiet.

I will whos about and can help.

P

[greyhound dog]

Re: Income Support review host family question

Puff thank you I hope someone is around to help too form has to be back soon

GD

[enaid]

Re: Income Support review host family question

Do you have anything in writing from the council that renting out a room in your house would not affect your benefits?

It does affect income support so I think the council were wrong to tell you this initially.
It all depends on how much rent you were charging, I would contact local Welfare office and explain the situation as I don't know if they will take the rent you got on a weekly basis and then deduct IS accordingly just for the weeks you had a lodger.
All info about renting out a room i your home is on the shelter link below.


How renting out a room affects benefit claims

If you are on income support or jobseeker's allowance, your benefits will probably be reduced if you rent out a room. It may still be worth it, however, as you could end up with more income than you would get on benefits alone.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_ad...ing_out_a_room



As form April 2013 new rules for housing benefits apply.

From April 2013 there will be new rules in Housing Benefit for working-age people living in social housing. Housing Benefit will no longer pay for bedrooms that they decide you do not need.

For some people, offering out a spare room to a lodger may be a sensible option. This would mean that Housing Benefit would no longer consider the room to be spare.

In addition to this, the first £20 of weekly income from a lodger is ignored and won’t affect your benefits. If you receive more than £20 a week in rent, the extra cash is likely to affect your benefits - although overall you should still be better off. Your local authority or an advice organisation will be able to advise you on the effects additional income will have on your benefits.

[greyhound dog]

Re: Income Support review host family question

Would a student be classed as a short term tenant? I do not have anything in writing from council but have dates conversations had and I was speaking with manager of housing assistance - this situation is now really upsetting me how can they tell me something like this and put me in a worse position than I was - will my expenses for having students be deductedfrom any payments received I am so worried
GD

[greyhound dog]

Re: Income Support review host family question

Would a student be classed as a short term tenant? I do not have anything in writing from council but have dates conversations had and I was speaking with manager of housing assistance - this situation is now really upsetting me how can they tell me something like this and put me in a worse position than I was - will my expenses for having students be deductedfrom any payments received I am so worried
GD

[wales01man]

Re: Income Support review host family question

Without anything in writing it would be near impossible to argue that you were told it was ok the rules are there if taking a payment for a room affects your benefit no doubt they will make you pay back money they paid whilst not knowing your situation changed i have just seen a letter to a friend who failed to declare a pension payout of 160 pounds they are taking the overpayment back and the letter points out that they could have taken further action .
Soory to be so blunt but this government is raging a war on people on benefits