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universal benefit Do you know the benefit system is changing? THE GOVERNMENT IS changing the benefits system and these changes mean that some people will get less housing benefit. how many bedrooms do you have? From April 2013, if you have one or more ‘spare’ bedrooms your housing benefit may be reduced. This could affect your if : l you are 16 to 61 years old l you only get a minimal amount of housing benefit (for example: if you are working) l you are sick or disabled You won’t be affected if: n you live in a one bedroom flat or bedsit. n you or your partner are old enough to receive pension credits – in April 2013, this age will be 61 years and 6 months What is a ‘spare’ bedroom? Under the new rules, if you have more bedrooms than the Government says you need, you will lose part of your housing benefit. The Government says you need one bedroom each for: l an adult couple l any other person aged 16 or over l two children of the same sex under the age of 16 l two children under the age of 10 regardless of their sex l any other child l a carer (who does not normally live with you) if you or your partner need overnight care. It does not matter how you use any ‘spare’ bedroom, the new rules will apply even if: l you and your partner need to sleep apart because of a medical condition l you have a spare room for when relatives stay What happens if you have a ‘spare’ bedroom? If you have one ‘spare’ bedroom your housing benefit will be cut by 14% of the rent you pay every week. If you have two or more spare bedrooms, you will lose 25%. You will then have to pay the difference between housing benefit and the rent. <strong>HARCA</strong> 14 LiMit ON BeNefitS From April 2013, the overall amount of benefit you can receive will be capped. The Government will add up how much money you get from a range of benefits. This includes : housing benefit, jobseeker’s allowance, income support, employment support allowance, child benefit, child tax credit and carer’s allowance. If the total comes to more than the maximum amount allowed your benefit payments will be reduced. The maximum amount of benefit you will be able to receive will be: l £500 per week for single parents l £500 per week for couples with or without children l £350 per week for single people without children. This will not apply i.e: n you get pension credit or working tax credit n a member of your household is claiming disability living allowance, attendance allowance, industrial injuries benefits or the support element of employment support allowance. do you have a disability and need overnight care? If you are of working age, have a disability and need a ‘spare’ bedroom so that a carer can stay overnight you should contact Tower Hamlets council as soon as possible so that staff can help you keep more of your housing benefit. changes to council tax benefit From April 2013, if you are of working age and claim council tax benefit, the amount of support you receive may be cut. This is because the Government is reducing the amount of money available and asking local councils to run their own schemes. example Bob and sandra are both 46. they live alone in a 3-bedroom home. their rent is £120 a week. for benefit purposes the government says they need 1 bedroom. from april 2013 their housing benefit will be cut by 25%. they will now need to pay £30 every week towards their rent.
What should i do? If you are worried about being able to afford to pay your rent from April 2013 you should ask for advice now. If you don’t pay your rent you could lose your home. You can also: l consider moving to a smaller home or taking in a lodger l contact the council to ask about extra financial help. Council’s have a limited amount of money available to make discretionary payments towards housing costs. l make sure you are claiming all the benefits you can – for example, money to help with the costs of a disability, seek advice l try to find some paid work to increase your income account 3 1-9 Birkbeck St, E2 020 7739 7720 account3.org.uk BYm 21 Henriques St, E1 020 7488 1831 Bromley By Bow centre St Leonard’s St, E3 020 8709 9737 bbbc.org.uk citizens advice Bureau 32 Greatorex St, E1 020 7247 1050 adviceguide.org.uk chinese association of tower hamlets; Sailor Pl 680 Commercial Rd, E14 020 7515 5598 city gateway Ensign Court, 28 Ensign St, E1 020 3189 0405 citygateway.org.uk city Jobcentre plus 60 Commercial Rd E1 0845 604 3719 consumer credit counselling service 0800 138 1111 cccs.co.uk debt advice foundation 0800 644 60 89 debtadvicefoundation.org directgov website direct.gov.uk/jobseekers island advice rights shop 296 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 020 7739 4173 island-advice.org.uk island advice centre Island House, Roserton St, E14 020 7987 9379 island-advice.org.uk legal advice centre University House 104 Roman Rd, E2 020 8980 4205 legaladvicecentre.org.uk limehouse project Cheadle House, Copenhagen Place E14 020 7538 0075 limehouseproject.org.uk london community credit Union 020 7729 9218 londoncu.co.uk national debt line 0808 808 4000 nationaldebtline.co.uk osca somali advice project Concordia Community Centre 420 Burdett Rd, E3 praxis Pott St E2 020 7729 7985 praxis.org.uk 15 example John and patricia have 4 children. 3 girls aged 2, 4 and 8 and a boy of 7. they live in a 4-bedroom home. their rent is £150 a week. for benefit purposes the government says they need 3 bedrooms. from april 2013 their housing Benefit will be cut by 14% - so they will need to pay £21 every week towards their rent. We know that many residents are worried about what all this could mean. Free confidential advice is available: poplar Jobcentre plus 13 Dod St, E14 0845 604 3719 Quaker social action 020 8983 5043 quakersocialaction.com st hilda’s east community centre 18 Club Row, E2 020 7739 8066 skillsmatch 8 Heron Quays Canary Wharf, E14 020 7364 3727 south Bromley forum 27 Aberfeldy St, E14 020 7987 9584 stifford tJrs The Stifford Centre, 2-6 Cressy Place, E1 020 7790 3632 stifford.org.uk tower hamlets law centre 214 Whitechapel Rd, E1 020 7247 8998 thlc.co.uk toynbee hall Toynbee Hall 28 Commercial St, E1 020 7247 6943 capitalise.org.uk turn2us turn2us.org.uk, 0808 802 2000 <strong>HARCA</strong> universal benefit
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