I work for a housing society which provides supported housing for people with mental health problems or learning difficulties.I have been informed that there are problems getting payment of HB up to the date when a 28 day notice period runs out if that date falls mid week. Apparently HB used to be payable daily but can now only be paid in weekly blocks so when we have someone giving notice mid week so that their liability for rent runs out mid week, we are losing a week's rent. My inclination is to send out a blanket instruction to make sure all notice is given on a Monday. any suggestions...?

If the rent is not charged weekly then the HB must be calculated on a daily basis (see HB Reg 69(2)(b)

"(b) subject to paragraph (5), where rent is payable at intervals of one month or any other interval which is not a week or a multiple thereof, the amount determined by dividing an amount of that eligible rent by the number equal to the number of days in the period in respect of which it is payable and multiplying the quotient so obtained (referred to in paragraph (5) as the “daily rent”) by 7;"

Also Reg 68(2) and (4)

"(2)
Subject to paragraphs (13) and (14),
except in a case where regulation 8(3) of the Decisions and Appeals Regulations applies, where the change of circumstances is a change in the amount of rent
 payable, it shall take effect from the first day of the benefit week in which it actually occurs or, in a case to which regulation 69(2)(b) or 69(3)(b) applies (calculation of daily amounts), from the day on which it actually occurs."

"4)
Subject to paragraphs (13) and (14), if two or more changes of circumstances occurring in the same benefit week would, but for this paragraph, take effect in different benefit weeks in accordance with
paragraphs (1), (2) or (3)(a)(i) or (b), they shall take effect from the first day of the benefit week in which they occur unless one of the changes is a change in the amount of rent
 payable in a case to which regulations 69(2)(b) or 69(3)(b) applies, in which case they shall take effect from the day on which that change actually occurs.

It looks like your LA's IT can not cope with mid week changes when the 28 day notice ends mid week. That should not be your problem. The LA should change its software. In the meantime it should not be beyond the average assessor to manually calculate the eligible rent in the final week and input that onto their system







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