I would be really grateful if someone could give me some advice on a complicated benefits situation.
(I apologise is this should have been posted in the disability thread, I wasn't sure)
To cut a long story short, I have been living in supported housing since November 2011.
I am about to move out into a privately rented 2 bed flat with my sister.
At the moment, I claim ESA (they changed my group a number of times without explanation, but I think I am now correctly back in the support group) and also receiving DLA (middle care/lower mobility).
I have phoned the council multiple times, and been in to see an advisor, but have been given very unclear, contradictory advice.
My understanding is that I will be entitled to claim housing benefit at the one bedroom shared house rate, and that due to claiming middle rate care DLA I would be disregarded as an occupant for the purposes of council tax, and therefore we would get a 25% single person reduction as only my sister would be counted. (One of the phone calls was to enquire about the changes to council tax benefit happening in April, and I was told that my council is not changing anything but will be keeping the current system.)
My sister has been unemployed for a few months but has just been offered a 12 week unpaid internship (with expenses paid of £67 a week) hopefully followed by an offer of full time paid employment. As far as I can tell she is not entitled to any benefits during the internship as this will be full time.
I am 22 and my sister is 18 - the council advisor was unsure, but as far as I can tell this does not affect anything.
I just wanted to clarify whether I have understood everything correctly, or if there is anything else I would be entitled to.
If anyone can make more sense of the benefits system than I can and offer some advice I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
(I apologise is this should have been posted in the disability thread, I wasn't sure)
To cut a long story short, I have been living in supported housing since November 2011.
I am about to move out into a privately rented 2 bed flat with my sister.
At the moment, I claim ESA (they changed my group a number of times without explanation, but I think I am now correctly back in the support group) and also receiving DLA (middle care/lower mobility).
I have phoned the council multiple times, and been in to see an advisor, but have been given very unclear, contradictory advice.
My understanding is that I will be entitled to claim housing benefit at the one bedroom shared house rate, and that due to claiming middle rate care DLA I would be disregarded as an occupant for the purposes of council tax, and therefore we would get a 25% single person reduction as only my sister would be counted. (One of the phone calls was to enquire about the changes to council tax benefit happening in April, and I was told that my council is not changing anything but will be keeping the current system.)
My sister has been unemployed for a few months but has just been offered a 12 week unpaid internship (with expenses paid of £67 a week) hopefully followed by an offer of full time paid employment. As far as I can tell she is not entitled to any benefits during the internship as this will be full time.
I am 22 and my sister is 18 - the council advisor was unsure, but as far as I can tell this does not affect anything.
I just wanted to clarify whether I have understood everything correctly, or if there is anything else I would be entitled to.
If anyone can make more sense of the benefits system than I can and offer some advice I would really appreciate it. Thanks!