I have just done a benefit entitlement check for a client on Incapacity Benefit who asked if it was possible to get help paying her mortgage. She had insurance however she was only entitled to receive payments for a year and this has now stopped. I informed her that I beleived that Housing Costs for interest payments could only be paid if she was claiming Income Support and not Incapacity Benefit. Is there any other help available for people in this possition. It seems very unfair.

Your client can claim income support for help with housing costs and,provided that they are not on an enormous amount of IB should get some help.We would work out what their requirement was, including the mortgage interest,and deduct the IB plus 10p leaving the balance payable to the lender.They may not get the whole of the interest paid to the lender because of the IB and would have to pay the balance themselves.(We have to leave 10p IS in payment so that the claim is not closed down.Doing this ensures that the allowable interest is paid to the lender every 4 weeks)