Benefits and mortgage

ktululady

Hi, I am a foster carer and I claim income support so I get help with my mortgage payments. I will probably want to move house in the near future and I was wondering...

If I buy a more expensive house with bigger mortgage repayments would they pay the new amount or would they say I shouldn't have moved and only pay what they are paying now?

Annisele

I'm not sure that the problem would arise...

If you already get help with your mortgage, I'd be surprised if you managed to persuade a mortgage lender to let you borrow more money.

ktululady

Annisele wrote: »

I'm not sure that the problem would arise...

If you already get help with your mortgage, I'd be surprised if you managed to persuade a mortgage lender to let you borrow more money.

I think they would as I have enough income. My fostering payments count as income when applying for a mortgage, but they don't affect my benefits, so I get help with the payments as if I was just on benefits.

BoGoF

As far as I know you will only get help with your original mortgage. You may be better posting this on the benefits pages.

dmg24

No, unless you have a specific need, the DWP will not pay any increase in your mortgage. A specific need would be severe overcrowding (you would not be allowed to foster if this was the case) or a medical need that cannot be overcome by adaptations to your current property.

I would also be surprised if your lender allowed you to increase your liabilities whilst dependent on benefits.

ktululady

BoGoF wrote: »

As far as I know you will only get help with your original mortgage. You may be better posting this on the benefits pages.

Thanks, I will do that.

ktululady

dmg24 wrote: »

No, unless you have a specific need, the DWP will not pay any increase in your mortgage. A specific need would be severe overcrowding (you would not be allowed to foster if this was the case) or a medical need that cannot be overcome by adaptations to your current property.

I would also be surprised if your lender allowed you to increase your liabilities whilst dependent on benefits.

I thought they may not, just wanted to be sure.

My lender has just approved a remortgage in my sole name as I wanted my ex off the mortgage. So I would assume if I had extra fostering money coming in from another foster child they would lend me more. Fostering payments do count as income as far as they are concerned but it doesn't affect my benefits. I could be wrong though.

Thanks for the advice.