£16,000 savings but can i get a council house? (scotland)

GlasweJen

Most single mums using welfare benefits don't have between £15,000 and £20,000 sitting in a bank somewhere. I'm quite sure that usually kids savings up to £3,000 are ignored but that's if the money is actually in the childs name and not just set aside in the parents account for the child which would mean that the OP has at least £11,000 that they have to spend before getting full means tested benefits (20,000 - 6,000 (savings threshold for max benefits) - 3,000 kids disregard).

OP should apply for child tax credits/get the current tax credits changed over to single claim but needs to remember to advice TCO that she's no longer working as well because she may have been getting childcare on her last award. She should also be getting maintenance from her childs father and should probably negotiate use of one of his 2 cars rather than go and buy a third one.

Oh and which councils have spare houses?

Edinburghlass_2

wispagold wrote: »

Thanks again for all the comments! You have given me food for thought over the next few days.

Keep any advice coming!

Happy New Year to you all and thanks again x

As highlighted in Martin's email this week, check out the link to his article.

Ensure you're getting what you're entitled to. The benefits net spreads wider than you think, in limited circumstances even families with combined income of £66,000 may be entitled. Give yourself a five minute benefits check up.

tr82

Income Support is affected when savings reach £6,000. For every £250 above that the OP's income Support entitlement would be reduced by £1.00 pw. If the OP's savings are £16,000 or more she won't qualify for Income Support until such time as they go below that level.

But the OP should take care to spend her savings wisely, let them naturally reduce by ordinary day to day expenditure (and not luxury holidays, fancy cars etc etc) until she's below the £16,000 level otherwise the DWP may decide she's depriving herself of savings to qualify for benefit to which she's otherwise not entitled.

Although the DWP would probably cut her a bit of slack because she needs to use savings for a deposit, a months rent in advance, removal costs, furniture etc. OP - keep any receipts for your expenditure, you may well be asked to provide them to the DWP at a later date.

Income Support application line - 0800 0 55 66 88.

When your savings are below £16,000 , phone that number, they'll take your application over the phone, post the form out for you to sign and make an appointment for you to hand it in at your nearest Job Centre. You'll have to provide proof of savings (bank statements etc) and they'll probably ask for expenditure receipts too. If you've got accomodation sorted by then, the adviser will give you an application form for Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit. Return those to the council along with the lease for your new home.

before_hollywood

GlasweJen wrote: »

Most single mums using welfare benefits don't have between £15,000 and £20,000 sitting in a bank somewhere. I'm quite sure that usually kids savings up to £3,000 are ignored but that's if the money is actually in the childs name and not just set aside in the parents account for the child which would mean that the OP has at least £11,000 that they have to spend before getting full means tested benefits (20,000 - 6,000 (savings threshold for max benefits) - 3,000 kids disregard).

OP should apply for child tax credits/get the current tax credits changed over to single claim but needs to remember to advice TCO that she's no longer working as well because she may have been getting childcare on her last award. She should also be getting maintenance from her childs father and should probably negotiate use of one of his 2 cars rather than go and buy a third one.

Oh and which councils have spare houses?

where my ex is from they apparently do, thats in england though, i live 10 miles away and there is a waiting list that runs into years

GlasweJen

As far as I know the LAs in the scottish central belt all have waiting lists that are years long. Glasgow certainly does, a friend of mine who was fleeing domestic violence and had a 2 year old disabled child ended up in a B&B and had to pay the costs (it was something ridiculous like £50 a day) because she had a wee bit of savings (£7,000 ish) and a job. She eventually got a private let and a grant to furnish but this was months after she'd left and with the help of the local MSP. Unless OP lives in the back of beyond she'll probably find herself in a similar situation.

adouglasmhor

GlasweJen wrote: »

Most single mums using welfare benefits don't have between £15,000 and £20,000 sitting in a bank somewhere. I'm quite sure that usually kids savings up to £3,000 are ignored but that's if the money is actually in the childs name and not just set aside in the parents account for the child which would mean that the OP has at least £11,000 that they have to spend before getting full means tested benefits (20,000 - 6,000 (savings threshold for max benefits) - 3,000 kids disregard).

OP should apply for child tax credits/get the current tax credits changed over to single claim but needs to remember to advice TCO that she's no longer working as well because she may have been getting childcare on her last award. She should also be getting maintenance from her childs father and should probably negotiate use of one of his 2 cars rather than go and buy a third one.

Oh and which councils have spare houses?

North Lanarkshire, East Dunbartonshire and GHA for a start have spare flats.

That's 3 landlords that are all round the Glasgow area yet you use a screen anme with Glasgow in it? Why the sarcasm? If you go to the housing with a cloean record (ie not owing another authority rent) you can get a flat in the Knightswood tower blocks or in Milton in a week. North Lanarkshire even advertise there vacant hard to lets in the local papers.

adouglasmhor

GlasweJen wrote: »

As far as I know the LAs in the scottish central belt all have waiting lists that are years long. Glasgow certainly does, a friend of mine who was fleeing domestic violence and had a 2 year old disabled child ended up in a B&B and had to pay the costs (it was something ridiculous like £50 a day) because she had a wee bit of savings (£7,000 ish) and a job. She eventually got a private let and a grant to furnish but this was months after she'd left and with the help of the local MSP. Unless OP lives in the back of beyond she'll probably find herself in a similar situation.

Sound like a load of carp to me. The LA in Glasgow do not even have public housing for rent so you are caught out as a liar straight away. What is your problem? All the council stock in Glasgow was transfered to a Housing Association years ago.

You can get a flat in one of the hard to let areas in weeks, if you hold out for a front and back door in a "nice" estate of semis and 4 in a a blocks you can wait years.

http://www.gha.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s14

adouglasmhor

BTW may mate was offered 2, 2 bedroom HA flats in a modern tenement type in Milton the day after he registered in Glasgow, years long? Lies.

GlasweJen

It was glasgow housing association and my friend is from the duntocher area. I can assure you she was in a B&B for at least 12 weeks, her child is now 6, friend unfortunately is dead from pancreatic cancer so can't ask her for exact dates but it was around july.

Also I'm currently on the north lanarkshire housing list waiting for a house in an area just outside cumbernauld; never owed the council anything, very clean credit history, got a job and semi-decent income and not had much luck since I moved home in May might be because I want to stay in the same area due to accessability needs. I've lived in North Lanarkshire since before it existed (strathclyde council days) and have been registered to vote here since I was 18. I wasn't being sarcastic I was genuinely asking.

Jowo_2

The OP should look at the Shelter website relationship breakdown section for advice on her rights. They also have a section on how LHA/HB works and how a homelessness application to the local council works. A person isn't considered homeless, and therefore in priority need, if they have made themselves 'intentionally homeless' by leaving a property where they could have stayed. Check their website to see if they have a local drop-in office or visit CAB.

As far as I'm aware, a person's savings isn't taken into account when applying for social housing but the allocation prioritises the sick, the overcrowded and the homeless but in harder to let areas (Wyndford estate through Cube Housing, for example), it is easier to go to the front of the queue.

The OP should also check the local authority website about how to apply for social housing - they should give links to the relevant HA or LA schemes.

Glasgow HA is currently piloting choice based letting in part of the west end or north of the city and you'll get an idea from their site how many applications each vacant property attracts and the priority band that the selected applicant is from. For small properties in high rise flats on unpopular deprived estates, there is sometimes a handful. For family sized houses in popular areas, there are sometimes hundreds. Most go to high priority applicants.