Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

[christine51]

Hi

I was living alone in a large one bedroom council flat, up until this weekend. I get full housing benefit. I get council tax benefit, and pay a small proportion - £60 per year. I get DLA, lower rate mobility component and middle rate care component. I also get incapacity benefit and income support.

This weekend, a friend moved in with all his possessions. He is sleeping on my sofa. We are not a couple. Im just a friend trying to help him out with somewhere to stay. We eat separately, etc. I have made space so that he can have cupboards for his own items, I have cleared out a wardrobe for his clothese, and made a dresser unit available for his sundry items, also he has a separate shelf in the fridge, we have separate microwaves. My friend was unable to continue to afford the rent of his previous accommodation (privately rented). He works as a mini cab drivers so does not have a fixed weekly income. The idea of him moving in was so that he could save up enough deposit to find alternative accommodation outside of the city.

The arrangement also benefits me at the moment, as I am finding it very difficult to cope in my flat at night, and to be honest have welcomed the security of another person around, as I feel very vulnerable in my flat on my own.

Three months ago I had to fill out one of those incapacity for work questionnaires, and to date I have not received a letter stating whats happening with my benefits, although my benefits are still being paid into my account. I have not been for an atos interview, as my psychiatrist wrote a letter saying that it would have a detrimental effect on my mental health.

My question is will my benefits be affected?

I would appreciate advise, as Im trying to do the right thing by helping a friend, but I feel like my world is caving in with paranoia about the dwp and housing benefit doing me for some kind of fraud. As I suffer from paranoia, I wonder whether its in my head, or whether there is a real possibility of the dwp and housing benefits taking away my benefits.

I appreciate any advise you are able to give me.

Many thanks
Christine51

[CYNthesys]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

Its likely that non dependant deductions will be applied to your housing and council tax benefit, but not sure as you get DLA
http://www.nihe.gov.uk/index/benefit...dependants.htm

[wales01man]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

To avoid any doubt inform the Council and the benefits people or face any action they may take if you are doing wrong,or keep quiet and face the consequences those are the options.

[PlanB]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

a friend moved in with all his possessions. He is sleeping on my sofa. We are not a couple. Im just a friend trying to help him out with somewhere to stay.

I don't think where the other person is sleeping is the problem, it's about whether he is actually living with you. If your friend has no fixed abode elsewhere then they are clearly living with you regardless of whether they are sleeping on the sofa, the floor or on top of the wardrobe. Separate microwaves doesn't mean he's not living there either.

I think you need to regularise this situation to avoid any suggestion of a fraudulent benefit claim further down the line. I've helped a girl on another forum who got a two-year suspended sentence for HB fraud because her boyfriend came to stay every weekend and could not prove he had a home elsewhere because he didn't. He stayed at his mum's house during the week to be nearer his work. The Judge wasn't having any of it. The boyfriend left his clothes and toothbrush at the house and that was enough to get her a criminal conviction.

It's nice to help out friends and this does seem to be a sensible two-way street because you feel better for the company. But I wouldn't risk a benefit fraud claim against you by doing it.

You say he's staying there so he can save up his money to rent a place of his own. I think he should use his money to pay you rent officially then you can declare that and everything may work out for the best. It may take him a little longer to save up for his own gaff but at least you won't be at risk of jail in the meantime. Since you say you enjoy his company this could be a win win situation if he has to stay longer

Neighbours don't half gossip so you won't keep this arrangement you have secret for long.

[Inca]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

Totally agree with PlanB..he's living there and working so he's liable for a proportion of the rent and Ctax.Your HB and Ctx are based on you living as a single person in the flat,,he can't live rent and ctax free.
BTW,,is it rented from a council or housing association?
Oh,,and DLA is not a means tested benefit so won't be affected but rent and ctax will.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can co-habit but not be in a 'relationship'...it's not that clear cut where benefits are concerned,,you need to declare his occupancy as soon as possible.

[christine51]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

Its likely that non dependant deductions will be applied to your housing and council tax benefit, but not sure as you get DLA
http://www.nihe.gov.uk/index/benefit...dependants.htm

Thank you for the link. Although i do get the care component of dla, my friend does not fulfil any of the categories of

....begin quote,,,,

When is a non-dependant deduction not made?

No deductions will be made if you (or your partner) is:

• Registered blind
• Receiving Attendance Allowance
• Receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance (at any rate).

No deductions will be made if the non-dependant is:

• Receiving pension credit
• Aged under 25 and gets Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Gets a youth training allowance
• Is a prisoner
• Is a student
• Has been in hospital for more than 52 weeks.

...end quote....

so i'll give them a ring on the phone number they give for further information.

[christine51]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

The situation is causing me so much paranoia, that im definitely going to make the phone calls. Ironically, though, there is a good possibility that my friend may have found an affordable place to rent. I have no intention of defrauding the benefits system, but do you think im allowed to wait until i find out whether he has moved out this weekend? Or do i have to tell them even if he does move out so that they can make deductions for the week that he stayed with me?
Thanks

[CYNthesys]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

I could be reading it wrong, but I think the key words here are as underlined



When is a non-dependant deduction not made?

No deductions will be made if you (or your partner) is:

• Registered blind
• Receiving Attendance Allowance
• Receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance (at any rate).

[PlanB]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

The situation is causing me so much paranoia, that im definitely going to make the phone calls. Ironically, though, there is a good possibility that my friend may have found an affordable place to rent. I have no intention of defrauding the benefits system, but do you think im allowed to wait until i find out whether he has moved out this weekend? Or do i have to tell them even if he does move out so that they can make deductions for the week that he stayed with me?

Hey, no need to get paranoid

If your mate moves out next weekend or soon after then this was nothing more than a friend kipping on your sofa in the short term. My daughter calls it "sofa hopping" when her friends pitch up for a freebie week or two when their parents throw them out :couch2:

[Froot]

Re: Employed friend staying with me - how will it affect my benefits

I don't think your dla will be effected however your housing benefit and council tax will. You'll have to let HB know that you have someone living with you and if he/she is working will probably need to pay half the rent so they'll pay your half and then he'll have to pay the rest. If hes not working then you should still get full housing benefit but they may need to open a claim for him at that house. But if its very temp they'll probably just give you a time frame in which they can just let him be a guest there. Not entirely sure on this but just thought i'd give my 2 cents