DSS housing benefit

Does anyone know if you’re entitled to DSS and you use the calculator online to see how much you’re entitled to etc, it says from your situation what number of bed house you can get with the benefit. Does this mean you can’t go over that amount of bedrooms? So for example when I put my info in it says I’m entitled to dss on two bed property, so does this mean I wouldn’t be able to rent a 3 bed and use dss ? If this makes sense

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You can rent a 3 bed but they will only give you the housing allowance for a 2 bed so they won’t give you more rent

Ohh okay thank you! We’re desperately trying to find our own place as we have two children now and living with parents and I’ve only been searching for two beds as I thought that’s all we are allowed! So thank you! It means there’s more choice now when looking x

Yeah you can have any amount but you may need to research about bedroom tax too. Not sure how it works or if it will apply to your circumstances

Oh ok, I’ll look into it! Thank you x

It’s also going to be difficult finding a landlord that will accept you for a larger house as you’ll have to pass affordability tests for a lot of landlords now days and they dont really accept without a guarantor and proof you can actually top up The rent ontop Of what housing benefit give you x

Housing benefits were only allowed to be applied for if you got JSA, but they are getting replaced with universal credit, which would make you better off as you can get the housing element, which is based on how much you are paying in rent, and you will get for your kids as everything is in one, so you can get more.

If you are getting universal credit but currently don't get the housing element, then when u find a property, u will have to state it in ur journal, and they will calculate how much money ur entitled to.

The lha rate for Birmingham is £695for a one bed and £748ish for a 2 bed so anything ontop you’ll have to pay out of the rest of your universal credit payments :)