Claiming housing benefit but working out of town.will it effect my housing benefit claim?
May 13th, 2010 by admin
I am a single mother with two boys aged 6 and 3. I am moving to London this sunday and will claim local housing allowance (housing benefit) for my property. At the same time, I have also been offered a job in blackpool for 16hrs (2 days a week), which I am quite happy to do as my travel expense and accomodation is all paid by my employer and I have nothing to lose. However, I’m worried that I’ll not be entitled to housing benefit if I made a claim, because I’ll be spending two days a week, every week in blackpool. Am I right to be concerned or not because the house in London would be my main house and where my children will live while I work in Blackpool?
Also, if I make my claim and if I accept the job offer, I’m worried I wont be able to provide the council with payslips because it will be a new job, so will this delay my housing benefit to go through on time?
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It doesn’t matter the location, if you are working then you must declare it. If you don’t they WILL find out and you will have to pay back monies owed
Your main residence is London, you are there 5 nights a week so you are fine on that point… Any claim will be back dated HOWEVER just be aware that expenses payments (Travel etc) MAY be considered as part of your earnings. Check with the Council (anonymous phone call ie do not give your name – just say you are enquiring) and that should tell you where you stand. You are entitled to work and claim HB/CTB just make sure your earnings are below the threshold which would stop your claim
Ask the council concerned is the short answer, but if you were living at home full time, i.e, you had a local job for 16 hours a week, then you would still be entitled to housing benefit but your income would be taken into account and the amount you receive would be reduced. You may also qualify for tax credit and child tax credit. Check all this out before making your decision, it can all be done quickly by phone. I can say though, that working, even for just a few hours a week will give you a sense of satisfaction in that you are doing the best you can for your children and not relying on others to do it for you.
Most councils have the housing benefit form online so you can check the information and documentation you need to give. They don’t treat expenses as income as far as I can see, but they take into account tips, overtime etc. on top of your basic income.
Don’t worry about not having the payslips, your employer stamps the back of the form and confirms what you will be earning if you haven’t got the payslips yet.
I also really don’t think there’s a problem about being away from home a couple of nights or so a week. It is still your main home, there are some housing benefit restrictions about ‘temporary absence from home’ but that goes on a block number of weeks together which wouldn’t apply to you as you would be only partially ‘absent’, and your children would be there.