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Three generations in one house
Is this the computer saying no?
I’ve got gran, mum and child living in the same property. Gran is the tenant and HCE claimant.
Mum also claims UC but is non dep.
UC are telling us that to get the 3 bed rate of HCE then the grandchild must claim as dependent of gran. That, in turn would disturb daughter’s entitlement.
I’ve explained the difference between the extended benefit unit and room allocations, but UC have once again come back saying Gran must load grandchild as a dependent to get the extra room.
This feels like a design flaw, but I can’t be the first person to come across this.
Hints?
I wonder if this is a case of a workaround to get the correct result from the UC computer system rather than a misunderstanding of the regs on bedroom allocations?
I had a case where the claimant had to declare that his son was still in education, even though he wasn’t, in order to get arrears of disabled child element. He then had to take him off his claim again before the end of the assessment period.
This is what happens when you turn claimants into processors of their own claims.
I’d be super wary of doing that (as you clearly are) as it leaves Mum as a single claimant. I’m pretty sure I’ve managed to get extended benefit unit paid without declaring children when they don’t belong!
For what it’s worth, I’d request an MR of the decision on the basis that the housing costs are wrong and she is eligible for the three bed rate and see where that gets you…
Is this the computer saying no?
I’ve got gran, mum and child living in the same property. Gran is the tenant and HCE claimant.
Mum also claims UC but is non dep.
UC are telling us that to get the 3 bed rate of HCE then the grandchild must claim as dependent of gran. That, in turn would disturb daughter’s entitlement.
I’ve explained the difference between the extended benefit unit and room allocations, but UC have once again come back saying Gran must load grandchild as a dependent to get the extra room.
This feels like a design flaw, but I can’t be the first person to come across this.
Hints?
Hi Dan. I took just such a decision to appeal recently. (Mine was a non-dep daughter with two kids). At the hearing (1st August), the DWP P.O. conceded immediately, saying he couldn’t understand the decision either! He also said it appeared that the DM had confused the Extended benefit Unit and Non-Dep Regs.
So I would say, appeal it.