I wondered if anyone has come across this situation and how your council has dealt with it.
We have a claimant who was previously not eligible for HB as a care leaver under the age of 18, being supported by Social Services. When they became 18 they made a claim for HB at the same address. As proof of rent they have provided a licence agreement drawn up by our own council’s Social Services Department, giving the name of the Licensor as the council. This is the licence they were given when they entered this property as a care leaver. The claim is for a relatively short period as the claimant has now moved in to a hostel.
The property is owned by the council and managed by the Leaving Care Service who are part of our Children & Young People’s Service
When the residents become 18 they are in effect independent but the Leaving Care Service continues to offer them support, in particular help with finding other permanent accommodation and claiming benefits . The period between them becoming 18 and moving to other accommodation should be relatively short
I queried this with DWP, their reply is as follows:
“In the circumstances you describe the claimant appears to have a liability, through a licence to occupy a dwelling, on which a payment is due to secure occupation of their home. I would assume that now the young person is 18 years old the local authority no longer has a responsibility to meet the person’s liability, leaving them responsible to meet it themselves.”
” The liability appears to be to the local social services, which, as a London borough, is part of both a local and housing authority. As such any liability to that authority, whether HRA or non HRA, would be met through a rent rebate.”
It appears that we can pay HB but would need a rent account to be able to pay this claim, has anyone had a similar case and how have you dealt with it?
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