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UC claim date question

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1 month 2 weeks ago #294224 by Anneb
UC claim date question was created by Anneb
I have just spoken to Housing Benefit in my son's current borough - they pay my son's full rent to his landlord 4 weeks in arrears. If my son moves borough, the Housing Benefit advisor said that as soon as my son has a copy of the new tenancy agreement, which is normally done a couple of weeks before a new tenancy starts, that he should apply for Universal Credit at that point. Would that be correct ? My son also gets IR ESA, in LCWRA group, and gets severe disability premium.

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1 month 2 weeks ago #294227 by David
Replied by David on topic UC claim date question
Hi Anneb,
I cannot say what would be best for you financially as there are so many factors to be considered. That is why getting personal advice from a local Welfare Benefits agency would be appropriate.

However there are a couple of important points.
Firstly not to close your existing Benefit claims as this is done automatically when you ( your son ) claims UC and the LCWRA ( support group ) is transferred.
UC Housing Costs will only be paid from what you have told me so far from the start date of the tenancy.
If your son claims UC before the start date of the tenancy then he won't have yet changed Borough.
Have Housing Benefit said why there would be an advantage in doing this?

David

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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1 month 2 weeks ago #294231 by Anneb
Replied by Anneb on topic UC claim date question
Hi David,

Housing Benefit didn't say what would be the advantage in claiming UC in advance of the start date of the tenancy once I had the tenancy agreement to hand. I wouldn't stop the legacy benefits myself for sure, and I'm just worried that it wouldn't count as a "change of circumstances" as my son wouldn't have actually moved borough at the point of making the claim...although it would be clear that the tenancy is starting on the future date. I suppose the IR ESA would stop at that point too so I'm not at all sure about this. I hope I will be able to ask a Welfare Benefits agency about this. The Citizens Advice service isn't so good around here.

Anne

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1 month 2 weeks ago #294232 by David
Replied by David on topic UC claim date question
Hi Anneb,

I cannot speak for the Housing Benefit department.
It would be a good idea to phone them again and find out why ( and if you will be financially better off ) you were advised to claim UC for your son before he had moved out of the Borough.

David

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Anneb

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