PIPs and Local Housing Allowance

Hi

Can anyone tell me if an award of PIP will lead to an exemption from the Single Room Rate for Local Housing Allowance, and if so, what rate will need to be awarded?

In the same vein, will a PIP award be relevant to proving the need for an overnight carer for an extra bedroom in Housing Benefit entitelement.

Thanks.

There are two routes out of the LHA one bed shared accom rate for under-35s where DLA Care is involved:-

(1) Person who requires overnight care : receipt of DLA(Care Mid/High) helps you through the first part of the test (but you must actually also be recieving the care) [if this applies then you’re not a “young individual”]

(2) SDP (which depends on DLA(care Mid/High)

PIP(DLC) will be a qualifying benefit for SDP in the same way that DLA Care(Mid and High) are now.

( See annex 2 of

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pip-detailed-design-response.pdf )

Re HB LHA/bedroom tax “person who requires overnight care” : I’ve not seen anything concrete (I don’t think there’s been a general set of HB amendment regs for PIP yet) but the implication is that either rate of PIP(DLC) would qualify.

( And that’s already there in the draft UC regs schedule 4 para 12 )

Note that for UC they seem to have dropped the non DLA(Care Mid/High)/PIP(DLC)/AA route to the extra room - in other words there’s not equivalent of the HB:

“although not satisfying either paragraph (i) [AA] or (ii) [DLA Care Mid High] above has provided
the relevant authority with such certificates, documents, information or
evidence as are sufficient to satisfy the authority that P requires overnight
care; and”

Thank you so much for the reply. Any thoughts on single room rent exemption?

Thank you.