Change to Housing
Benefit: Information for tenants
An important change is being made
to Housing Benefit, which will affect single people aged 25 to 34
who live alone.
What's happening?
At present, single people under the age of 25 can normally only get
Housing Benefit based on a rent for shared accommodation (sharing a
kitchen, bathroom, toilet, or living room).
From 1 January 2012, this rule will also apply to people living
alone who are aged 25 to 34.
The change means that most single people under 35 will be entitled
to Housing Benefit based on a rent level for shared accommodation,
even if they actually rent a self contained one bedroom or studio
flat.
This rule already applies to single people under 25, and to people
who live in shared accommodation (regardless of their age).
Find out more about this change:
Will I be
affected?
YES, if you are:
- single, and
- aged 25 to 34, and
- living alone, and
- renting self contained accommodation from a private landlord,
and
- already get Housing Benefit, or are going to make a new
claim
NO, if any of the following also apply to you:
- Someone else lives with you, like a partner, a dependant child,
or another adult (like a relative or friend)
- You live in a council property, or a housing association
property, or in supported housing provided by a housing
association, registered charity, voluntary organisation
- You get the severe disability premium in your benefit because
you are entitled to the middle or higher rate care component of the
Disability Living Allowance, or
- You need an extra bedroom for a carer who provides you with the
overnight care you need but who doesn't normally live with you,
or
- You have spent at least three months in a homeless hostel (even
if the three months were not all in one block of time), and you
have accepted support services to enable you to be rehabilitated or
resettled in the community
- You are an ex-offender who is being supported by a number of
agencies, sometimes known as MAPPA.
Already getting Housing
Benefit?
How will this change affect me?
If you are affected by this change it means that your Housing
Benefit will go down, because your benefit will be based on a rent
used for someone who shares rooms, like a kitchen, a bathroom, a
toilet, or a living room with other people.
It is not possible to say right now how much the rent will be for
shared accommodation from 1 January 2012, but based on recent
figures the amount is likely to be around £65 - £70 per week.
Go to our
Local
Housing Allowance Rates page to see the recent rates for shared
accommodation, and other rates.
If your Housing Benefit is paid directly to your landlord, the
amount your landlord gets for your rent will go down.
When will this change affect me?
If you are affected by this change, your Housing Benefit will go
down from the date we have to review your claim., which normally
happens 12 months after we last reviewed your claim (your claim
anniversary date).
If we have to review your rent between 1st April 2011 and 31st
December, then your benefit will go down after 9 or 12 months from
the date your rent is reviewed.
- For example, if we reviewed your claim on 1st May 2011 and we
told you that you were entitled to nine months protection, you will
continue to get this protection up to 31st January 2012. Your
benefit will go down from 1st February 2012.
If we have to review your rent on or after 1st January 2012, then
your benefit will go down from your rent review date.
-
For example, if we reviewed your claim on 1st July 2011 and you
were not entitled to nine months protection, we will be looking at
your claim again on 1st July 2012. Your benefit will go down from
1st July 2012.
If you are affected by this change, we will write to tell you when
the change will affect you and the amount of Housing Benefit you
will get.
Thinking about making a Housing
Benefit claim?
Claiming before 1 January 2012
If you make a new claim for Housing Benefit before 1 January 2012,
the change will affect you 12 months after you make your claim.
- For example, if you make a claim on 1 December 2011, you will
be affected from 1 December 2012.
Claiming on or after 1st January 2012
If you make a new claim for Housing Benefit on or after 1 January
2012, the change will affect you straightaway.
- For example, if you make a claim on 1 February 2012, you will
be affected from 1 February 2012.
To find out more about claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax
Benefit, go to our
How
to claim benefits in Newham page.
How will this change affect me
if I am currently 34 years old?
This change will apply to you until your 35th birthday. When you
turn 35, your Housing Benefit will be based on a rent for one bed
self contained accommodation, as long as you live in self contained
accommodation.
What if my tenancy agreement is due for
renewal or I am thinking of taking on a new private
tenancy?
If you are already getting Housing Benefit, or you are thinking of
making a claim for Housing Benefit, you need to think about this
change before you renew or make a new tenancy agreement with a
private landlord.
Where can I get advice about
problems with my landlord?
For
information and advice about your rights under your tenancy
agreement or if you experience problems with your landlord, you
can:
Where can I get independent
benefits and housing advice?
Citizens Advice Bureau
For a wide range of advice, including benefit, debt and housing
advice visit the
Citizens Advice Bureau
website
Shelter
For confidential housing, welfare benefits and debt advice from
Shelter, you can:
- Visit
Shelter's website
- Phone the Housing Advice Helpline on 0808 800 4444
(freephone):
Monday-Friday 8am-8pm
Saturday-Sunday 8am-5pm