Rent allowance and rent-a-room scheme

Money Shot

Does anyone know if the social welfare will give rent assistance to someone who wants to rent a room rather than an apartment / house.

A currently unemployed friend of mine asked to move into a spare room that I have for a couple of months. There is no way it is going to happen unless I get an agreed monthly rent from him. He won't be able to afford to live with me if he doesn't get rent allowance - he thinks I may have to be a registered landlord. The citizens info site isn't clear either. He has asked at the social welfare and got contradictory information from two different people. He is going to try and get clarification next week, but in the interim if anyone has experience of this ...

gamer

THE welfare officer will give him rent allowance 4one room, you,ll have to give him a rent book and fill in the landlord section of the rent allowance form.THERES no need to register as a landlord as its treated as rent a room scheme ,the welfare officer will call up to see him in the house ,maybe there 4 5mins max, he has to see that he has acess to fridge ,cooker,kitchen.Go to citizens advice centre if you need more info.

SAY RENT is 80 ,he,ll get 70 ra approx.HE ,LL have to inform dole office of change of adress too.ie they will send a letter to the dole office at some point.He should apply for ra within a week of moving in, go to health centre,get ra form from the recepionist,or counter staff.the welfare office is usually there only 2days a week to accept application 4 ra.FIND OUT the days be4 you bring the form back.Theres1000s of single people on rent allowance ,especially as unemployment go,s up.

Victor

It would appear that your friend will be a lodger and may not be entitled to rent allowance. This needs to be checked out.

Also, rent allowance rules where changed during the year.