Full time

[Bailey baby]

Hi there, I have a friend who has just lost his job and home. He is thinking of going fulltime in a motorhome, he has a few questions to ask and I am hoping you can help.
If he gets universal credit can he claim site fees instead of rent. This is because where he is there not many park up spots to get a good night sleep, so would need to use cl's. If so does he need show receipts each week to get paid. Any help and advice would be much appreciated. Sorry if this has been already discussed, I couldn't find any posting. Stay safe everyone.

 

[Badknee]

1st thing I would think is get an address. Parents, kids, brother, sister etc. He will find everything so much easier.

 

[Monty don]

I doubt it and why should he

 

[Bailey baby]

Thank you for your reply. He has an address for post, bank everything else. It is more about would he get help with site fees if intitled to. He is only it would short time fix, but with what is going on you never know.

 

[monzer]

I doubt it and why should he

Cracking input

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[Vipar]

Could he not ask the CAB?

 

[peterc10]

I think the only people who could answer that for sure would be the government department that deals with universal credit. Not sure of their name, but your friend should know.

 

[phillipsheila]

No idea but at least he has got a supportive friend

 

[Gerby]

I doubt it and why should he

For the same reason that someone who has lost their job and is living in a rented house would have it covered.

I do think (though do not know) that it wouldn't be covered but think that if rent is covered then so should relevant site fees as these are to all intents and purposes just another form of rent for full timers

 

[Minxy]

For the same reason that someone who has lost their job and is living in a rented house would have it covered.

I do think (though do not know) that it wouldn't be covered but think that if rent is covered then so should relevant site fees as these are to all intents and purposes just another form of rent for full timers

The issue with site fees is that they are likely to include 'utilities' too which wouldn't normally be paid so even if he was able to claim the 'rent' aspect, how he would prove what was rent and what wasn't would be difficult. Also you don't have a rental agreement with a site as you can leave at any time which is different to being in normal rented accommodation and this in itself could mean he won't qualify.

The only people who can answer this is the benefits bods.

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[1910Manny]

Never be afraid to ring the local Jobcentre regarding a benefit claim and ask the question. The Jobcentre would far prefer to give the advice than look towards a fraud or deprivation case later. When you ring, always take a name, date and time and note it down.

 

[ByronMH]

Hi there, I have a friend who has just lost his job and home. He is thinking of going fulltime in a motorhome, he has a few questions to ask and I am hoping you can help.
If he gets universal credit can he claim site fees instead of rent. This is because where he is there not many park up spots to get a good night sleep, so would need to use cl's. If so does he need show receipts each week to get paid. Any help and advice would be much appreciated. Sorry if this has been already discussed, I couldn't find any posting. Stay safe everyone.

Hi,

I can't be 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure everything is still processed online and payments are given based on input. JobCentres are not asking people to walk in each month as before (at least that was the case back in November). Your friend may have to upload receipts for payment of 'rent', but not much more. Best thing to do I would say is to just get them to go online and make the claim. He will need access to Internet each week to update them on job searches etc. All the best to him.

... and I've just seen the original post date - don't I feel silly. How is he getting on after these few months now?

 

[mitzimad]

Bailey baby interested to know what the outcome of this was?
#

 

[The Wino]

I would be interested to know I didn't see the thread before but wonder if you move out of a house to full-time whether you are intentionally homeless so unable to claim site fees. I suspect that it could be you might be expected to take up a place on a travellers site if one became available.

 

[Eggs]

I realise this is an old thread but I can answer this one. A friend of mine is a fulltimer, he was made redundant last spring due to Covid.

The job centre was open then so he made an appointment, he went and explained his circumstances, lost job, NFA, lives in van. NFA wasn't a problem, anyone with NFA can use their local job centre address for upto 12 months. pitch fees were paid once he got a receipt from the site he was staying on. This in my opinion is where a scam could be put in place.

If my friend would have gone to the most expensive site in the area and got a receipt for let's say £20/night (to keep it at round figures) he would be entitled to £140/week housing benefit, once the claim is approved there would be nothing to stop him going to a CS and pay £10/night and pocket £10 each day.

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[Zepp]

I’m no expert I’ve never claimed anything before but I would of thought he would be classed as homeless

 

[1910Manny]

I realise this is an old thread but I can answer this one. A friend of mine is a fulltimer, he was made redundant last spring due to Covid.

The job centre was open then so he made an appointment, he went and explained his circumstances, lost job, NFA, lives in van. NFA wasn't a problem, anyone with NFA can use their local job centre address for upto 12 months. pitch fees were paid once he got a receipt from the site he was staying on. This in my opinion is where a scam could be put in place.

If my friend would have gone to the most expensive site in the area and got a receipt for let's say £20/night (to keep it at round figures) he would be entitled to £140/week housing benefit, once the claim is approved there would be nothing to stop him going to a CS and pay £10/night and pocket £10 each day.

if he had done that, he would have committed fraud. Also, he may receive a visit from a visiting officer. If his Van was not in situ, his benefit would be immediately stopped and investigated as to dates he left the site. He would then be processed as to what type of fine/court appearance would be issued.

 

[1910Manny]

I would be interested to know I didn't see the thread before but wonder if you move out of a house to full-time whether you are intentionally homeless so unable to claim site fees. I suspect that it could be you might be expected to take up a place on a travellers site if one became available.

You would not make yourself intentionally homeless as you have moved into a van. Intentionally homeless is when you leave a property and move in say with friends to gain a property supplied by a HA/council. You would not be sent to a travellers site, unless you wanted to reside on one.

 

[pappajohn]

Dept of work and pensions deal with universal credit.... And good luck trying to talk to them.