4 Do I get all my rent?
Y
vill usually get the full weekly amount you pay in rent and your general and water rates. But you may not if:
you are sub-letting your accommodation
someone lives in your household who can be expected to pay for their keep such as an adult son or daughter
you have a rent or rate rebate or a rent allowance from the local authority your rent includes something for heating and lighting
your rent is considered to be unreasonably high and then only a reason- able amount will be allowed
your landlord gives "rent free" weeks, in which case the rent is averaged out over the year.
5. Do I get anything instead of rent if I live in
the house I own?
Your yearly rates, mortgage interest, ground rent (in Scotland, feu duty) and a yearly allowance (normally £39.50) towards repairs and insurance are added up. Then they are divided by 52 to find out what you would pay weekly— your "rent".
But you may not get all of this weekly amount for the same reasons that a person may not get all his rent and rates, as explained above.
There is no allowance for repayment of mortgage capital but your building society may be prepared to accept payments of interest only.
6. What about special expenses?
Extra heating-you can get 80p a week extra if you or your wife cannot get out of the house much because of age or ill-health. You can get the same amount if your rooms are difficult to heat. Higher amounts (£1.60 or as much as £2.40 a week) are paid if you or your wife cannot leave your bed or house or are seriously ill and need extra heating, or if your rooms are extremely difficult to heat.
Central heating—you can get an extra amount of between 40p and £1.60 a week if you have central heating.
Your pension includes an amount of 50p (75p if you or your wife is over 80) towards the cost of any other special expenses apart from heating. But if you have any of the following expenses, your pension will be increased by the total amount of the allowances less 50p (or 75p if over 80).
For a special diet—an allowance of 90p will be made if your doctor has advised you or your wife to follow a special diet. But if you have one of a number of particular illnesses, such as diabetes or ulcers, the allowance will be £2.10.
For laundry a special allowance will be made if you cannot do your washing or drying in your own home and have to send it to the laundry (or launderette), for example because of illness, incontinence or dis- ability. The allowance will be the weekly amount you pay less 10p. For domestic help-if you need domestic help, allowance will be made for the cost provided it is reasonable-but not for window-cleaning or errands.
You can get help with some other special expenses. If you want to know more
about them, ask your local social security office.
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