Will i be able to claim housing benefits?

Can my partner claim housing benefits if I work full-time?

• My boyfriend finishes his temporary work (as an engineer) at the end of next month and is looking for a new job but theres not much around and it might take a while. We live in a 1 bedroom flat that costs £950 per month (London) and I earn about £1200. Its enough to just about cover it (but then theres council tax, bills etc. We both graduated recently so have no savings etc. Are we entitled to housing benefit while hes looking for a job? I thought maybe not as my salary would be deemed enough to support us both, but in reality its not as london living is so expensive

• Answer:

  Contact your council and ask to speak to a benefits adviser. It's very unlikely you'll be entitled to Housing Benefit, but you may be able to claim a reduction on council tax. Your partner should also be able to claim Job Seekers Allowance for a minimum of six months based on his National Insurance contributions.