First time benefit claimer (planning) and some questions

[atikur]

I have no job (lost job a month ago, 25th Feb). My wife is flr(m) route. we applied for settlement on 11th January 2021 (biometric on 15th Feb). I got two kids. one is 7 other one is 6months. We live in a 3 bedroom property from a private tenant. We sublet rooms. we have almost 10k total in the banks (household savings dreaming to buy a house). My wife is in metarnity leave and getting SMP which will be ending in two months time and no plan to get back to her job.
I didn't apply for any kind of benefit as of now. waiting for my wife's visa sorted.

Giving the above circumstances I really need some advice please.

1. Shall I apply for benefit now from my side?
2. what kind of benefit can I apply for and whow can i talk to about benefit claim?
2. how many bedroom am I entitled to?
2. if i am entitled for two bedroom house and still wanna live in the current house (3bedroom), how best to do it? As an example if my whole house rent is £1400pcm and i rent out a room to somebody for £400pcm will my housing benefit be affected. In my borough two bedroom entitlement is around £1200. so will goverment adjust this £400 out of total £1400 house rent and pay me only £1000?

I can't think of what else i was thinking to ask. I'll appreciate replies.

[JB007]

I have no job (lost job a month ago, 25th Feb). My wife is flr(m) route. we applied for settlement on 11th January 2021 (biometric on 15th Feb). I got two kids. one is 7 other one is 6months. We live in a 3 bedroom property from a private tenant. We sublet rooms. we have almost 10k total in the banks (household savings dreaming to buy a house). My wife is in metarnity leave and getting SMP which will be ending in two months time and no plan to get back to her job.
I didn't apply for any kind of benefit as of now. waiting for my wife's visa sorted.

Giving the above circumstances I really need some advice please.

1. Shall I apply for benefit now from my side?
That is your choice to make.

2. what kind of benefit can I apply for and whow can i talk to about benefit claim?
Universal Credit?
claiming-benefits/universal-credit-clai ... 02126.html

Child Benefit?

Council Tax Reduction?

If you want to speak to a person about claiming welfafre benefits, you could try Citizens Advice. The benefit calculators don't work when there is somebody who is subject to immigration control (No Recourse to Public Funds)

2. how many bedroom am I entitled to?
https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/BedRoomCalculator.aspx

2. if i am entitled for two bedroom house and still wanna live in the current house (3bedroom), how best to do it? As an example if my whole house rent is £1400pcm and i rent out a room to somebody for £400pcm will my housing benefit be affected. In my borough two bedroom entitlement is around £1200. so will goverment adjust this £400 out of total £1400 house rent and pay me only £1000?

That's not how means tested benefits work. The DWP will work out your maximum Universal Credit entitlement allowed and then make deductions to find the amount you are allowed each month. Universal Credit is a monthly benefit and that amount can vary month to month.


I can't think of what else i was thinking to ask. I'll appreciate replies.

Child Benefit can be backdated. Universal Credit can not be backdated.

[JB007]

You state you are a "first time benefit claimer (planning)" in your title, but are you claiming benefits already? Child Benefit? Tax Credit?

[atikur]

I didn't apply for benefit yet. I am getting child benefit for my two kids and I am just planning or thinking to apply for the benefit for the first time. sorry if i got you confused.

[atikur]

Hi JB007,

Thanks for the reply.
Would you answer personal message?

[JB007]

Hi JB007,

Thanks for the reply.
Would you answer personal message?

No, I won't reply to PMs.

Universal Credit is an online benefit and only starts from the date of your claim. They will let you know your monthly UC amount. You can end UC when you want to. You claim as partners, as the link above showed, so that you are linked and your wife's earnings are then used in the monthly calculation.

The reason I asked about if you were claiming Tax Credit, is because that welfare benefit is replaced by Universal Credit and my first reply on your thread would have been irrelevant.

Citizens Advice can advise if you have any questions that you don't want to put on this forum.

[JB007]

I've just looked this up on the internet.

I got two kids. one is 7 other one is 6months. We live in a 3 bedroom property from a private tenant. We sublet rooms.

Has your landlord given their permission for this?

How many tenants do you sublet too? Have you been completing your tax return?

The Rent a Room Scheme

The Rent a Room Scheme lets you earn up to a threshold of £7,500 per year tax-free from letting out furnished accommodation in your home. This is halved if you share the income with your partner or someone else.

You can let out as much of your home as you want.

How it works

The tax exemption is automatic if you earn less than £7,500. This means you do not need to do anything.

If you earn more than this you must complete a tax return.
https://www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-ho ... oom-scheme

Giving the above circumstances I really need some advice please.
2. how many bedroom am I entitled to?

2 bedrooms from the information you have given and by using the link I gave.

2. if i am entitled for two bedroom house and still wanna live in the current house (3bedroom), how best to do it? As an example if my whole house rent is £1400pcm and i rent out a room to somebody for £400pcm will my housing benefit be affected. In my borough two bedroom entitlement is around £1200. so will goverment adjust this £400 out of total £1400 house rent and pay me only £1000?

Using your figures-
You pay rent of £1,400.
Your benefit entitlement for two bedrooms and tghe maximum allowance that benefits will pay is 1,200.
Your maximum entitlement for the housing element (rent) for Universal Credit it £1,200.

Then there are deductions to get the UC amount for the housing element part of your UC.
e.g. your "non-dependants" (in htis case, your lodgers) will be a deduction of £75.15 (for the April 20/21 tax year benefits) each person, each month.
£1,200 maximum mothly allowance, minus your monthly dedections = ?



Then there is this-
If your partner’s leave is subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction, you should seek specialist immigration advice before making a claim, if you and your partner are joint tenants. As your partner’s share of the rent is used to calculate the housing element of Universal Credit, this might be considered as recourse to public funds, which could affect their right to remain in the UK.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guid ... de-content

[JB007]

Then there is this-
If your partner’s leave is subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction, you should seek specialist immigration advice before making a claim, if you and your partner are joint tenants. As your partner’s share of the rent is used to calculate the housing element of Universal Credit, this might be considered as recourse to public funds, which could affect their right to remain in the UK.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guid ... de-content

Ignore the bit on the above link about claiming as single as we know from the government site (link given above) that partners must claim as partners (to link their UC claim). But they are treated as a single claim for the benefit amount if they have a NRPF partner. That link ensures the NRPF parter's income/capital/savings are used in the Universal Credit claim. You can't claim as a sinlge person/parent when you are not as that would be fraud.

It's like your Child Benefit claim, when you can only claim in your name as your partner is NRPF (unless they have an exemption). Then your NPFR is linked so that if they earn over £50,000pa, that likely changes the CB amount given.

[kbookworm]

I believe the main question still has not been answered. Will the writer claiming UC affect his wife's application? Assuming he claims all correctly and receives no benefit on behalf of spouse with nrpf. Is it advisable to claim now or wait until flr application is resolved.

Please answer.