Catch 22, Housing Benefit

intranicity

Wonder if any of you have any ideas that might help me out?

I'm a single male aged 45, unable to work through injury (likely hood is this will be for life), I have a reasonable but not great pension (War Pension) and am lucky that my local council do a 100% disregard of the War Pension meaning I get full Council tax and Housing Benefit.

I privately rent, but in theory, I earn enough to pay a mortgage (With HB & CT Benefit), but obviously, if I had a mortgage I wouldn't be entitled to either and then wouldn't be able to afford a mortgage. It's slightly academic, as I would have to find a deposit, but I will one day probably inherit some money from my parents.

Anyway, question is, is there anyway round my situation, or am I stuck in this for life? After all, I might live to be 90+, if I had a mortgage, I could in theory have a house paid for by the time I was 70 and save the council 20 years Housing Benefit

viktory

I am not entirely sure what you are asking. Are you asking if there is a way you could buy a house and have HB (or the equivalent) pay the mortgage?

nannytone_2

wouldnt we all like benefit to pay our mortgages lol


viktory
the OP is saying that rather than wasting money paying his rent, they should be allowed to pay this money towards a mortgage so he has a property to leave when he dies!
hahahaha

intranicity

viktory wrote: »

I am not entirely sure what you are asking. Are you asking if there is a way you could buy a house and have HB (or the equivalent) pay the mortgage?

Sorry, My question is is there anyway you can receive Housing benefit if you don't rent? Basically am I stuck being a burden on my Council for life?

intranicity

nannytone wrote: »

wouldnt we all like benefit to pay our mortgages lol


viktory
the OP is saying that rather than wasting money paying his rent, they should be allowed to pay this money towards a mortgage so he has a property to leave when he dies!
hahahaha

Cheers for the sympathy, sarcasm and useful advice Nannytone, sorry that I served Queen and Country and got injured 20 years ago in the First Gulf War, and now that my injury has got so bad I can't work that I'm now a burden on you.

viktory

intranicity wrote: »

Sorry, My question is is there anyway you can receive Housing benefit if you don't rent? Basically am I stuck being a burden on my Council for life?

No and yes are the short answers. There is mortgage assistance available, but there is no way you are going to be able to get a mortgage and effectively have the tax payer pay your mortgage.

blue_monkey_2

intranicity wrote: »

Sorry, My question is is there anyway you can receive Housing benefit if you don't rent? Basically am I stuck being a burden on my Council for life?

OK, first I have sympathy, and great respect, for the job you chose to do.

BUT, you say that you do not want to be a burden on the council by them paying your rent - but you want Housing Benefit to pay for a mortgage instead. So you would still be a 'burden' (your words, not mine BTW) on the Council as they will still be paying.

You say you will inherit money one day, but say that is in 20 years time and it is then you want to get the mortgage - you'll be 90 before the mortgage is paid and the Council would still be paying your mortgage and your council tax so you would still be a burden that you did not want to be.

Would you still be interested if they did pay your mortgage but then, when the house is sold or when you died, they had a charge on the property to reclaim the money they gave you towards it?

intranicity

blue_monkey wrote: »

Would you still be interested if they did pay your mortgage but then, when the house is sold or when you died, they had a charge on the property to reclaim the money they gave you towards it?

Thanks for the reply. In answer to that question, yes I would, I would have much more security than a short term tenancy gives me, I've had to move twice in 3 years already and it is very expensive, not just moving but also paying off and then resupplying things like the Telephone that usually tie you into 18 month contracts, paying out a new deposit whilst waiting to get the last one back. I also pay considerably more for my rent than I get in benefit (My choice, I want to live somewhere decent and where I feel safe and not risk getting mugged lol)

In the end, I'm lucky that I get the benefit and not stuck in a one bed bedsit, and I guess HB isn't really aimed at people like me who will be on it for life?

Sixer

OP: is there any work you can do? For example, some of the work from home opportunities listed on the Up Your Income board? Some of these only involve using a computer. Could you perhaps earn enough that way to add to your pension and qualify for a mortgage?

I agree private renting is an insecure way of life and I would also want to avoid it. I think injured veterans should qualify automatically for secure tenancy social housing if they do not own their own property.

nannytone_2

i have no problem with you getting full housing and council tax benefit. if you are incapable of working, then certainly your needs should be met.

but this doesnt extend to you profitting from the system ( buying a house with help from the taxpayer).

if you already had a house when you became unable to work, it would be different.
you want to buy a house KNOWING you ccant afford it without taxpayer subsidies!

intranicity

Sixer wrote: »

OP: is there any work you can do? For example, some of the work from home opportunities listed on the Up Your Income board? Some of these only involve using a computer. Could you perhaps earn enough that way to add to your pension and qualify for a mortgage?

I agree private renting is an insecure way of life and I would also want to avoid it. I think injured veterans should qualify automatically for secure tenancy social housing if they do not own their own property.

Catch 22 again sadly lol, I used to work, but over the years I've done further damage and now I've been advised that I need to face reality and take things easier. My WP is now at the 60% rate, and I get War Pensioners Unemployabilty Supplement because they agree I am permanently unable to work due to my pensionable injury.

So I work, lose the Unemployability Sup and almost certainly end up worse, but I might be able to get a mortgage, but I wouldn't get illness cover on it, and no doubt end up losing the house as I would own a house and not be entitled to Housing benefit anyway, and no way of paying it.

Oh well, there's lots worse off than me, I'd just like some security I guess, but we all want things we can't always get