Paying for Support

The hostel is funded by a mixture of three forms of income: Supporting People funding, Housing Benefit and a personal contribution.

If I Lived at Culverdale What Would I Have to Pay?

For most residents, the majority of the costs are paid by Supporting People or Housing Benefit. However in any flat or bedsit, there are charges for using personal electric as each bedsit or flat is individually metered for electricity. On average the weekly cost is about £3-£5 (although it is higher in winter than in summer). There are also other small charges and if you are receiving Income Support you should receive the maximum award of Housing Benefit (see below) and your personal contribution would be about £2.50 a week. For more information regarding benefits see the What Benefit? page

Supporting People

This is a government funded scheme (paid by Kent County Council) and contributes currently £132.68 per week for each eligible resident. So as to receive the funding, a person must:

1) Satisfy the Kent County Council Supporting People eligibility criteria.

2) Be in receipt of Housing Benefit (or will do so if they lived at our hostel)

Housing Benefit

This is administered by our local authority Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. As a statutory scheme, the benefit you receive is set by government regulation. In general, if you live in one of our bedsits and you are in receipt of Income Support you will get the estimated maximum award of £100.20 a week. If you are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit of £102.25 you will receive approximately up to £89.85 per week. You might receive less if you are on weekly earnings and/or have savings above £6,000.

If you are in employment, the amount you receive will depend on the amount you receive in income, whether you are on any benefits (or are classed as having a long-term illness) and whether you have any savings.

Hence for the period up to 31st March 2009, the overall weekly charge for living in the hostel is between £235.38 and £286.37.

This information is correct as of 9th April 2008. Electricity prices and benefit rules are subject to change, current figures are available on request