Housing Benefit questions

[xmedia]

I am currently paying my rent and everything myself. In December 2014 I took out a tenancy on a new house, moved from old place as had too many bedrooms and spent ages trying to find a suitable two bed property not a flat

 

I had to pay the whole six months rent in advance at the time of signing the tenancy. (Through an estate agents). Because i have no guarantor as both my parents are dead and no siblings this is now the norm it seems. I have money to pay the next six months in advance in June I can set aside, which will then leave me with around £9,500 to date. I am not getting any benefits since July 2013 as I inherited some money.

 

How will this affect a Housing Benefit Claim as I believe you can still claim despite having paid in advance? My remaining £9,500 after June tenancy set aside will entitle me to some Housing Benefit minus a £1 per £250 deduction. I am struggling to find a job as I am 50 and was a full time carer to my father for the last 8 years so have a very patchy CV which gets me turned down all the time even for supermarket work.

 

I am worried about keeping a roof over our heads if the norm is 6 months in advance.

[estellyn]

Paying in advance shouldn't affect your housing benefit claim.

 

You're right that your current savings will affect a claim (£1 reduction for every £250 of savings over £6000). when you claim, you will also need to provide details of your inheritance and may have to justify any large or excessive spending (if there was any).

[id6052]

might this not be a UC rather than HB claim?

[estellyn]

might this not be a UC rather than HB claim?

 

Is UC nationwide now or still in select areas? I'm not up on the rollout yet.

[id6052]

still being rolled out, there is a map at

 

http://ucmap.entitledto.co.uk:8080/geoserver/www/website/map.html

[Dookist]

Don't think you can claim housing benefits if you have more than 16k in savings...