Housing Benefits?

Question

Does anyone on here know anything about housing benefits in the UK? Do you have to live in a council house to get them?
I work part time and am a full time mother to 2 children. I'm on the verge of a marriage break up and want to know if I can get any financial support so that I can carry on living in the family home, I know obviously I will get support from my husband, but I would like to know what my rights are.

Answer 1

Housing benefit is only available to people in rented accomodation.
You may be entitled to Income Support when your marriage ends, but it depends on your income.
You would be best talking to your local CAB branch.
Also, to find out your rights regarding the house you should see a solicitor who specialises in Family Law. Most solicitors will give a free 30 minute appointment if you ask, you can ask about divorce, maintainance and the house at this appointment.

Advice now has a brilliant guide on the end of relationships - it covers children and housing aswell as finances. Have a read through here:
http://www.advicenow.org.uk/go/familymediation/feature_553.html?pkgid=64

Also, you can have a play about with the calculator at Entitledto. You can work out what benefits and tax credits you will be eligible for in different circumstances. Its available here:
http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Answer 2

Hi I use to work for Housing Benefits, you don't need to be living in a council home. Go to your local council or call them and have them send you a benefits form you have to show payslips, bank statements etc so that they can assess your claim. Although if you own your property you can not get housing benefit you can only get help with the Council tax, although you are legible for a Single person reduction if your children are under 18 and you are the only adult living in the property. If you want social call the department of work and pensions you will find them on the net or in your local phone book they should be able to help with money also.

Good luck

Answer 3

You don't need to be in a council house to get housing benefit. Contact your local DSS and they will advise you and give you the appropriate forms. If you are entitled to housing benefit but your rent is high they will usually give you a proportion of this and you have to find the rest yourself. I think there is also a benefit for council tax but I am not 100% sure.

Answer 4

You need to call citizens advice on what to do next. If divorce is on the cards, the benefits you may be entitled to would be affected because its means tested and any monies you receive out of the divorce settlement will determine how much financial help you get.

You will need to speak about what happens to your home, if you have to leave or can stay and pay rent yourself, if you are going to be a lone parent they will help you but to what extent would be between you and them.

Good luck

Answer 5

go down the council and ask for a houseing benefit form you can get housing benefit if you are not living in a council house as i may be moving out of my council house and into private and will be eligible

Answer 6

There are various benefits and it can be very complicated to work out. The best advice is to get proper advice from CAB

Answer 7

yes there is benefits you cat get phone your local citizens advice bureau and they will help you all the way i hope all turns out good in the end for you and your family its very hard

Answer 8

anyone who needs housing benefit that is on a low income can apply to get it from there local council house i don't know how much you would be entilled to as such but it does sound like you might be able to get something, you can live in a private housing or council house it doesnt matter. you might also need to apply for council tax benefit as well there's 2 links here that might be of intreast to you.

housing benefit
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Bfsl1/BenefitsAndFinancialSupport/DG_10018926
council tax
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Bfsl1/BenefitsAndFinancialSupport/DG_10018923

also you might need legal aid (something you might want to think about in the future maybe)
legal aid
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Bfsl1/BenefitsAndFinancialSupport/DG_10018868

Divorce and relationship breakdown
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/FamilyIssuesAndTheLaw/

and as you know you'd get support of your husband but you might need to contact these (to be honest i don't know but worth looking at)

Child Maintenance
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/YourMoney/DG_4003043
Divorce/index.htm

there's loads more stuff to look at on this web site it's grate!
home page
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm

also i'd suggest trying to pop into you local citains advice centre as they have loads of experince in dealing with things like this all the time and would know your rights better, you might also be able to get other benefits such as income support or tax credits (worth speaking to the local job centre or enquiry enery line

Answer 9

You can get some free advice form the Citizen's Advice Bureau......hope it all works out for you.

Answer 10

Go to the nearest court house