BEDROOM TAX

[carlasway]

Hi all, this is my first posting, i am a full time carer for my disabled mother-in-law, who lives around the corner from me. i am going to lose at least £21.40 per wk HB, from April 2013, according to size critera i have 2 spare bedrooms, i sleep in separate bedroom from my OH as i suffer from UC, other half suffers from asthma & osteoporosis. i am so worried about the financial impact this is going to have on me, and the impact on my mum-in-law, as i will not be able to pay this amount weekly and have no option but to move out of my local area as there is a dire shotage of smaller accomodation, my mum-in-law is unable to look after herself, and would end having to go into a carehome at a greater cost to the taxpayer, are any other carers having the same concerns as me.

[coffee]

hi carl a warm welcome
All I can suggest is look at carers uk site - help and advice and ring adviceline 0808 808 7777 its on the page and I am sure some one on here been in a simular situation and can help sorry I am unable to help. coffeexx

[Myrtle]

Hi Carl and welcome.
probably a silly question, but have you talked to your council and seen if they can come up with any help for you?

[carlasway]

Hi Carl and welcome.
probably a silly question, but have you talked to your council and seen if they can come up with any help for you?

hi myrtle i have contacted council, also housing association,local councillors, many MPs, also Lord Best who fought so hard to stop this bedroom tax becomming law. i have no choice to pay it or move. The stress is causing frequent flare ups of my UC.



Thanks coffee, for your advice.

[bowlingbun]

Are you absolutely certain that you have all the benefits you are entitled to? Ring the Carers UK if in any doubt at all, or email them - they made me significantly better off. Also consider whether or not mum in law is getting everything which she is entitled to. If she would need to go into a home without you, then she may well be entitled to support from Social/Adult Services. Has she had a needs assessment done by them, and have you had a Carers Assessment from them? Sometimes, people are entitled to "direct payments" from Social services, which can be used to pay people who don't live with them, to care for them. If mum was entitled then she could pay you that money, and hence solve your problem. I know this sounds a bit involved, and I don't think the new rules are fair. All we can do is make sure we maximise our incomes within the rules.

[carlasway]

Are you absolutely certain that you have all the benefits you are entitled to? Ring the Carers UK if in any doubt at all, or email them - they made me significantly better off. Also consider whether or not mum in law is getting everything which she is entitled to. If she would need to go into a home without you, then she may well be entitled to support from Social/Adult Services. Has she had a needs assessment done by them, and have you had a Carers Assessment from them? Sometimes, people are entitled to "direct payments" from Social services, which can be used to pay people who don't live with them, to care for them. If mum was entitled then she could pay you that money, and hence solve your problem. I know this sounds a bit involved, and I don't think the new rules are fair. All we can do is make sure we maximise our incomes within the rules.

Thank you bowlingbum, i was not aware of information you gave me, will look into it.

[india77]

Hello and welcome

[Scruffy]

Hi Carlasway,
I am just hoping a change in Government will reverse this idiotic tax. Just waiting for the day I can vote.
Anyway I was living in a two bedroomed flat and my mum was living in a three bedroomed house where she still is.
I was going back and to looking after her and I asked the housing association if it would be possible for me to be added to the tenancy at mum's if I moved in with her and gave up my flat which was also rented from the same housing association. I received a letter telling me I could if I stayed there twelve months and had no debts.
After I had done this I wrote to apply to be added to the tenancy and got turned down. I saw my MP as I had a letter telling me they would add me to the tenancy.
In the end they said I could be added as a member of the household and that I might be able to succeed to the tenancy when mum is no longer with us.
This right of succession can only happen once so I had to find out if my mum had used this up by succeeding to it from my dad. I found out today that this particular housing association allow for two successions to the tenancy within a family.

That will mean though that I will be on my own in a three bedroomed house.
Mum is the one who would pay the rent and she gets everything covered by benefits. It will be interesting to see if they ask her to dip into her savings or if any other benefits she gets will cover it.
With me being a member of the household I am not expected to pay rent and as such I don't get housing benefit.

I have no idea where all of these changes will leave us financially.
I just hope that a future caring and sensible government will see the folly in this bedroom tax because there is no way I'm spending my money putting in new carpets and decorating if I know I won't be able to stay here and would have to pay again if they moved me or I had to move. Especially if they reduce any money we get which would make it even harder to afford paint, carpets etc.
I am sure I'm not the only one.

[Legsmaniac]

I am just hoping a change in Government will reverse this idiotic tax. Just waiting for the day I can vote.

Since this "idiotic tax" is a part of the new Universal Credit proposed by the Labour Party which the Coalition are continuing with, I'm curious who you are going to vote for.

[bowlingbun]

I live in the New Forest, for as long as I can remember, we've had a Conservative MP. So my vote, for another party, doesn't really count for much. It has been said that you could pin a rosette on a New Forest pony and call it the candidate, and it would get voted in!!!