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ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed
- otterysteve
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2 weeks 6 days ago #289927 by otterysteve
ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed was created by otterysteve
Hello.
I receive ESA Support Group (thanks to your excellent guides!) and Housing Benefit (HB). I have been served a Section 21 No-Fault Eviction Notice and have five weeks left of that notice. Rents have increased vastly since my last move over eight years ago and I have not yet found a new home to move into.
My understanding of current benefits laws is that if I move OUTSIDE of the area that pays me my HB I will lose “transitional protection”, and my ESA will cease, I will have to make a new claim for UC, and so be entitled to zero income for five long weeks. However if I move WITHIN the area of the council who awards my HB, my claim will stay as ESA plus HB.
BUT the Council has changed. When I moved here I received HB from Mendip District Council. But this was changed in the last year or so, and Mendip DC no longer exists. I now receive my HB from Somerset Council, which includes the old Mendip DC area, plus a couple of other now defunct district council area.
Does this mean that I can now move anywhere covered by Somerset Council? Or am I still limited to the area the old Mendip DC used to cover please? If I can move anywhere in Somerset Council area it will much expand the options open to me.
My apologies if this is not really a topic you normally advise on, but my only alternative is to ask the DWP…..
I receive ESA Support Group (thanks to your excellent guides!) and Housing Benefit (HB). I have been served a Section 21 No-Fault Eviction Notice and have five weeks left of that notice. Rents have increased vastly since my last move over eight years ago and I have not yet found a new home to move into.
My understanding of current benefits laws is that if I move OUTSIDE of the area that pays me my HB I will lose “transitional protection”, and my ESA will cease, I will have to make a new claim for UC, and so be entitled to zero income for five long weeks. However if I move WITHIN the area of the council who awards my HB, my claim will stay as ESA plus HB.
BUT the Council has changed. When I moved here I received HB from Mendip District Council. But this was changed in the last year or so, and Mendip DC no longer exists. I now receive my HB from Somerset Council, which includes the old Mendip DC area, plus a couple of other now defunct district council area.
Does this mean that I can now move anywhere covered by Somerset Council? Or am I still limited to the area the old Mendip DC used to cover please? If I can move anywhere in Somerset Council area it will much expand the options open to me.
My apologies if this is not really a topic you normally advise on, but my only alternative is to ask the DWP…..
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- BIS
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2 weeks 5 days ago #289960 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed
Hi otterysteve
I'm afraid your question is outside the remit of this forum. I have attached a link to see if you can find a specialist welfare advisor in your region who may be able to help with this. advicelocal.uk/ . Otherwise - do ring the DWP.
BIS
I'm afraid your question is outside the remit of this forum. I have attached a link to see if you can find a specialist welfare advisor in your region who may be able to help with this. advicelocal.uk/ . Otherwise - do ring the DWP.
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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- Jones1988
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2 weeks 5 days ago #289995 by Jones1988
Replied by Jones1988 on topic ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed
In Somerset when you report a change of circumstances for Benefits it is directed to the same teams as before unification. So for Mendip it will be the team run by Capita. So it appears that you will be restricted to Mendip. Though it would be worthwhile phoning the team for another area such as Sedgemoor to verify this.
www.somerset.gov.uk/benefits-and-payment...cumstances-benefits/
www.somerset.gov.uk/benefits-and-payment...cumstances-benefits/
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- otterysteve
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2 weeks 5 days ago #289996 by otterysteve
Replied by otterysteve on topic ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed
Pity. My mental health will stop me attempting to telephone DWP - I simply can't cope with the anxiety. And I am scared to email them. Looks like I'm going to be on the streets soon unless something turns up.
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- otterysteve
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2 weeks 5 days ago #289997 by otterysteve
Replied by otterysteve on topic ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed
Disappointed at your reply. It IS a benefits issue.
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- BIS
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2 weeks 4 days ago #290014 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic ESA, Housing Benefit, and moving home when the Council has changed
Hi Ottersteve
I'm sorry that you're disappointed in my answer. The forum is not set up to answer all benefit queries. We try to answer questions regarding the application and assessment process of ESA/UC, DLA, PIP, and AA. Housing Benefits are not in our remit, but if someone asks about it and one of the mods is certain they know the answer, they may answer it. But we try never to give out incorrect information or comment on things we know nothing about. That's when we have to refer people to services in their area - which I know can be daunting or impossible. So I'm sorry I couldn't help.
BIS
I'm sorry that you're disappointed in my answer. The forum is not set up to answer all benefit queries. We try to answer questions regarding the application and assessment process of ESA/UC, DLA, PIP, and AA. Housing Benefits are not in our remit, but if someone asks about it and one of the mods is certain they know the answer, they may answer it. But we try never to give out incorrect information or comment on things we know nothing about. That's when we have to refer people to services in their area - which I know can be daunting or impossible. So I'm sorry I couldn't help.
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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