Moving out of specified accommodation and Housing Benefit

Client currently lives in supported accommodation with HB in payment as well as c-ESA and PIP awards (ir-ESA claim been made but no decision).

She wants to move into private accommodation which will be in same local authority area so there’s no problems with the HB award is there - she simply reports the COC for the new address and that should be fine (avoiding need for UC claim)?

If this is the case, then she should also be fine with the HB for 2 homes rules if there is overlapping liability but just wanted to make sure the move from specified accommodation to PRS isn’t an issue.

Thanks all.

Should definitely carry on as normal, including 2 homes if conditions satisfied.  Some authorities still have this fixed idea that there “triggers” that make it compulsory to claim UC, as if the UC police will come and arrest you on suspicion of not claiming.  If that turns out to be an issue in this case, here are the golden rules to remind them:

- Reg 5 of the UC(Trans Provs) Regs 2014 says you cannot get HB if you are also entitled to UC.  This claimant is not entitled to UC, so that isn’t a problem.
- Article 7 of the No 23 Order prevents new HB claims for general needs accommodation, but this isn’t a new claim so that isn’t a problem either
Regs 7 and 8 of the Trans Provs Regs say HB terminates when certain events occur: claim UC, shack up as couple with existing UC claimant.  Neither of those things has happened, so no problem with Regs 7 and 8.

And that’s it - there is nothing else to prevent HB from continuing in the same old way.

Nice one Peter, thanks very much for the comprehensive response, appreciated.