housing benefit entitlement

[josephine]

Would be great for the benefits advisor to advise me on the following;

Income

Child Tax Credit; £67.71
Incapacity Benefit; £97.20
Total = £164.91

Applicable amount

Disability premium = £28.00
Single claimant = £65.45
Total = £93.45

For benefit purposes the applicable amount is deducted from the income, which leaves a figure of £71.46, this is known as excess income, therefore Ms O Brien qualifier for;
Maximum benefit
Minus a percentage of this excess income.

The percentage also known as a taper is as follows;
65 per cent when calculating HB; 25% when calculating CTB

Therefore you qualifies for the following;
Housing Benefit

65% of £71.46=£46.45
Rent = £101.71 less £46.45 = £55.26
Housing benefit award - £55.26

They state i have been overpaid housing benefit as i stopped receiving child benefit for my son, which means he is not classed as a dependant but becomes a non-dependant but i was still in receipt of child tax credit as my son had been at college and it payable up untill just before he turns 20.

They state Incapacity benefit is not disregarded for benefit purposes which does not make sense when its not means tested.

Does not make sense, i am in receipt of child tax credit but not child benefit and i am on benefits due to having MS but i am liable for rent and council tax.

Any advice would be great.

[Duncan]

You need to contact Child Benefit to see if that benefit can be reinstated. Child Benefit can be paid up to the age of 20 while at college. But your child must have started the current course before the age of 19.

Ring Child Benefit and have the details of the college course and address of college with you and ask for the claim to be reinstated from the date it stopped which I guess was last August 2010. Once Child Benefit is awarded again, take the award letter to show Housing Benefit and ask for the claim to be reviewed.