Client would like to claim JSA as recent agency work ended. He lives in a house owned by his parents, and shares house with two friends with a joint tenancy. These friends each pay their slice of the rent directly into client's bank a/c. Client then pays full rent over to parents. He is effecetively acting as an intermediary for his parents.

Should these rent transactions be ignored as income/capital for JSA purposes? What would be proof would be required by JSA section?(e.g. would tenancy agreement be necessary?)

Also, is there any chance of HB in the circumstances, or does the fact that parents are the landlord disqualify client from HB?

Thanks in advance.

Provided the 3 of them have a joint tenancy in the formal sense, the son can claim HB/CTB on his third. It doesn't matter that the landlord is a close relative provided he/she/they don't live in the premises. It also doesn't matter that the son acts as a post box for the other two's rent - he is not the beneficial owner of that money. LA would need to be persuaded that the tenancy was not contrived, ie they have been paying rent from the start and the rent is no higher than local market rent.

Thanks Brian - excellent news for all concerned!