rent allowance cohabiting

Bushalicious

Hi,
My girlfriend recently lost her job. I'm still working. We are renting a 3 bed house. Can my girlfriend claim rent allowance. If so, how do we calculate how much? I have heard that her allowance would be means tested against my income despite us not being married. There are also spot checks etc? Is this for real or just scare tactics? We don't want to get involved in anything dodgy but like everyone at the moment money is tight. Any advice or experience would be welcomed. Thank you.

Xiney

If you are working more than 30 hours a week your girlfriend is disallowed from claiming rent allowance.

Sorry.

Bushalicious

Thanks for the advice. You pay your tax all these years then get nothing when you fall on hard times. Typical. Ah well. Thanks again.

Xiney

yup, I hear you.

Still, rents around the country have fallen - would do no harm in asking your landlord for a rent reduction, or moving to a cheaper place if he/she refuses.

lmahoney79

Surely you dont need a 3 bed house for just the 2 of you? It would be much better to move to a smaller cheaper place and save on rent, me and my other half did this and its the best decision we made for ourselves

Bushalicious

Yeah i think we will be talking to the landlord tomorrow. The rent on the house is the cheapest we can get in the area. the rent is the same as an apartment around us so there is no cheaper place to move to. we lived in a small apartment for over a year but in the end it made no sense as now we have more room for the same money. thanks for the advice guys. will give the land lord route a go.

hubbabubba09

would it be an option to let someone else move in as well?

Bushalicious

to be honest we both want to keep it just as ourselves and i think the landlord would too. we took out the place together not as rooms, having a bit of breathing room is important to us and we dont have any friends looking for a place so it would be a stranger and not on for that. i think we will be able to lower the rent and make it work. there are alot of people in this boat unfortunately at the moment so we are not unique by any means.

miec

Hi Op

Unfortunately it is likely you will have to pay the rent, but your other half should get job seekers benefit if she has enough stamps, that is processed quicker than job seekers allowance, which is means tested on your income, they deem a couple living together as being married (but not the other way when it comes to tax etc). You may be entitled to a medical card so do apply for that as well.

GerardKeating

lmahoney79 wrote: »

Surely you dont need a 3 bed house for just the 2 of you? It would be much better to move to a smaller cheaper place and save on rent, me and my other half did this and its the best decision we made for ourselves

AS the OP mentioned, 3 bed houses tend to be cheaper (at least in Galway city) that 2 bed apartments..

Xiney

same in Sligo as well when we were living there.