Housing Benefit

[AngelCookie23]

When can I apply for housing benefit? I've found a place to rent privately and due to sign the contract on the 1st of October. Do I have to wait till after then? I'm currently living with my parents. Any help appreciated! xx

 

[sarahmc89]

I dunno how it works in England but with my local council you need to wait until you have moved in before you can apply for housing benefits. Need to send proof of tenancy etc and they have someone assess your needs in relation to the size of the property and how much rent you pay, to say how much of the rent they will pay for you. We can't get a 2 bedroom place until the baby is born.

I'd say look up your local council or give their number a call to find out they might let you submit an application early Or even send you out the forms so you can send it all away the day you sign for the place!

Good luck!

 

[Leah04x]

Not sure if it's the same in your area, but we applied a few weeks before we were due to move in. In this time, we filled out all paperwork and gave the council all the evidence and documents they need. They couldn't start the claim until the tenancy officially started, but it meant we didn't have to delay things even more by doing this after we moved in.
If my memory serves me correctly, I think you can start the claim 4 weeks before the tenancy start date, but I'd just call your local council to check.
Hope this helps! xx

 

[Sammyxo]

My lease at my current property ends on 31st October and we're looking to move then as I'm due in November (nightmare!) I'm confused by all of this housing benefit stuff as well. At the moment we're looking to get hb for the place we're in now as we're both paying rent ourselves without any income (not sure what i'd do without ebay and my overdraft!) anyway, i'm wondering if we can just transfer our benefit over to the new tenancy when we need to move or if they'll take weeks/months to process. At the moment we're in our 2nd month of waiting for housing benefit to be processed as there's been delays with forms on their side.
Are you renting privately and getting housing benefit? What happens with the upfront deposit? I didn't know if you're supposed to pay that and normally landlords want upfront rent, don't know how we'd afford that- well, we can't.

 

[sarahmc89]

From what I've seen some landlords have an option for housing benefit tenents to pay their deposit up, but not all of them. Also they'd need you to provide a guarantor someone to co-sign the lease with u and your partner to ensure that they will get their rent some how. If it's the same council area you are staying in then I think it's easier to transfer a claim but they'd probably reassess needs etc in relation to the size of the house. Councils are so damn complicated with everything.