Forum Home → Discussion → Housing costs → Thread
HB for 16 year old with a disability
My client is mum to a 16 year old with profound support needs who requires 2:1 care.
Daughter currently has a support team but mum wants to move out to a new house to allow her daughter to live in the Housing Association home that has been adapted for her and begin to rebuild her life, return to work and not always be on call as a carer.
Question is can the daughter claim HB , she is still at school. Gets higher rate PIP.
From what I can find online it is possible but uses language like if a child is abandoned or orphaned. This is a loving supportive mum who is understandably worn out, had to give up a successful professional career and live on benefits who now wants to live a more typical life.
Many thanks
The daughter cant claim while she is included as a qualifying young person on any claim her mum has.
So if mum moved out and the daughter was living independently, then Mum would need to stop claiming Cben/ UC child element/CTC for the daughter and the daughter would need to make her own claim for UC.
Whether the housing element is included in UC would depend on the tenancy type - its eligible for benefit if its temporary accommodation or if its deemed to be supported accommodation.
I assume if its mums tenancy at the moment, that its just a general needs tenancy?
Will the landlords grant the tenancy to the daughter? Or give use and occupation until they made a decsion whether the daughter was eligible to take over the tenancy, ( I assume Mum is the tenant ?)
Presumably, although its been converted for her disability requirements, its also has more bedrooms than she requires , so even if daughter is accepted has having a rent liability under rg 8, the rent is likely to be restricted due to size. A dhp may be an option, but not long term .
think youd need to know what the current tenancy type is and what sort of liability the daughter would have, if any
Never easy for a 16 year old still at school to get UC unless estranged which does not seem to fit here or already had WCA earlier again does not seem to fit either?
But happy to be wrong.
Sounds like this may be specified accommodation, and if so, at least solves the housing costs issue?
Does the mother have health issues of her own/LCW? She might meet the requirement to be considered unable to support her daughter.