JSA/Housing/Lodger (in England)

[Dioufy]

I don't know if this is in the right spot but here it is.

 

I am currently living in Manchester but am moving to my mum's friend's house in Milton Keynes at the end of this month for a few months. He claims JSA, housing and gets his council tax paid for. I will be living with him in his 2-bedroom flat for a few months until I get a job and get my own place.

 

He's kind enough to take no rent off me, so will I be able to claim JSA down there, and will it affect his claim at (something at which I don't want to happen)?

 

I think it would affect his claim if I were paying him rent, but I am not.

 

And would he need to notify anyone?

 

Thanks a lot for any input you can put my way.

[Perfect Dark]

I think you would get better advice from the Job Centre, go to the website or give them a call.

[nutbrownhare]

You really need to contact your local office for this sort of information - within my experience, they really are very helpful.

[Dioufy]

Thank you.

 

 

[Mankind]

I used to work for the Jobcentre until about a year ago (and funnily enough had to make a new claim today). I think you would be ok to claim on your own, but you may be questioned on living together (to determine whether or not you are partners etc.). He should probably notify the relevent departments (local authority/JCP) that you are living there, as it's a change of circumstances.

 

So yeah, like the others say you're best off asking the office yourself as my knowledge on things is a bit rusty and possibly out of date, but I don't see why there would be any major difficulties.

[amipushy]

These may be of use to you or least give you some idea what they are talking about when you phone the jobcentre.

 

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[karvala]

I don't know if this is in the right spot but here it is.

 

I am currently living in Manchester but am moving to my mum's friend's house in Milton Keynes at the end of this month for a few months. He claims JSA, housing and gets his council tax paid for. I will be living with him in his 2-bedroom flat for a few months until I get a job and get my own place.

 

He's kind enough to take no rent off me, so will I be able to claim JSA down there, and will it affect his claim at (something at which I don't want to happen)?

 

I think it would affect his claim if I were paying him rent, but I am not.

 

And would he need to notify anyone?

 

Thanks a lot for any input you can put my way.

 

The rules certainly used to be that if he takes rent off you, it would reduce the amount of JSA he's entitled to on a pound-for-pound basis (after the first £5), in the same way as any other income. That was a while ago, though; the situation might have changed since then. On the other hand, you could claim housing benefit to the same amount, which between you would leave you with the same amount of money, which you could then divide up as you see fit (that is a bit of a grey area, so I'm not commenting further on that). If he doesn't take rent off you, then there shouldn't be a problem.

 

There is a potentially more serious problem, though, which relates to the obvious question: does he own (with or without a mortgage) the flat you're moving to, or is it rented, either privately or from the local council? If it's rented, then he needs to check his lease for the rules on having other people live there, and if he decides to take rent off you, for the rules on sub-letting.

 

You and he should certainly talk to the Job Centre in Milton Keynes, but provided he owns the flat, and you live there rent free, then it shouldn't be a problem. You'll have to tell them simply because you'll be using the same address, and the system will pick up on that anyway, so better to be up front about it.

[Mavh25]

I don't think it should matter if its temporary and you're not assisting with rent, but meh, check it out. Call ya local jobbie.

[schueysgirl]

he will be claiming as a single person's council tax, so with you living there even temporaily it will affect this, regardless of the money u are or are not giving him.

 

Is it his house/flat or is it the councils as this is something he will need to tell them about as well if the house is not his...

 

Be careful and do everything legit, they are catching up on benefit frauds etc now (not that i amsaying this is what you are doing!

[Dioufy]

He's on DSS, in a private flat.

 

And the landlord is alright with me moving.