Can I claim housing benifit

jvalj321

Hi everyone. Can I claim income support and housing if I own a property out right but cannot live there because of fear of my ex partner. Basically I live in a house at the moment paid for by housing benifit well for a couple of years. I do own a propert though with no mortgage, but cannot live there because of fear of him. I cannot sell the property because the deeds are in both of our names. But I am worried if I tell this to the benifits people they will have me and my child evicted by stopping paying my rent.
What can i do, and could I get in trouble.

jvalj321

No he does not live in the property, and yes i am already claaiming benefit. But I cant live there incase he finds out. It has just ben empty now a couple of years.

skintandscared_2

I believe if you are joint owners, either of you can enforce a sale. Or rent it out and get some income from the rent so you can come off benefits. Either way you don't have to see your ex.

Add: When you filled out the benefits form was there not a section on assets or savings you may have? I know not all are means tested so they may not have asked.

jvalj321

Hi thanks for the reply. i cannot locate my ex to force the sale. As for the form I filled in there may have been a box about assets, but at the time of filling it in I was so desparate for a place to live, I would have answered no.
i just don't know what to do. Cant sell it, cant come clean as i want to. Problem is someone else now knows who i owe money to and he is threatening to tell on me.
Just dont know what to do

DaisyFlower

jvalj321 wrote: »

Just dont know what to do

Red shoes has told you what to do, you need to be honest and tell the benfits office that you lied on the forms and deal with whatever they do.

Then you need to find work asap so that you can afford the rent yourself.

skintandscared_2

Red_Shoes_No_Knickers wrote: »

Yes my sweet, you can come clean. You have no choice. The alternative is for the benefits people to find out themselves, and then you will be in a lot of trouble.

What Red Shoes said! You have no choice. I know it's scary but you have absolutely no option. Get advice from the CAB about selling the house. Someone must be able to track down your ex. Or just rent it out. Things will be so much worse if the authorities come after you rather than you approaching them.

Marisco

They might want the HB that they have been paying, back as well, as you were probably not entitled to it in the first place. The longer you leave it, the worse it's going to get.

skintandscared_2

Alternatively, move into the house you own and if necessary get a restraining order on the ex so he can't come anywhere near you. Then you won't need housing benefit as there's no rent/mortgage to pay.

jvalj321

Hi thanks for all the replies. If only life was that simple. I have been looking for a job, but they are not that easy to find. especially when you have a child to take care of. time goes by so quickly and ive probably been claiming around 5 years. If I come clean will I have to pay back all of the housing benefit, and also could I then get in trouble for claiming Income support as well because possibly i would have lied on those forms as well.
could I end up in prison. I also owe debts to credit cards.
I am in such a mess. I know its my own fault.
there are many out there who would condem me for what i have done, but i did it to survive, and through fear of my ex finding me. i just doubt housing and benefits would understand.

jvalj321

They may never find out though. If i was to get a job somehow come off all benefits. Move house and no-one was to inform on me, maybe I just could get away with it. if i just come clean I will loose everything including my freedom.
Or what if somehow I was able to sell the house and come clean when I was able to repay them back.

Oldernotwiser

I can't really see how, on the one hand, you can't contact him to arrange to sell the house but, on the other hand, you can't live there because you're afraid he'll turn up!