Help with property inheritance; will this affect benefits?

cosmicseahorse

Hi all,

I am a graduate, still living with student friends. No kids / disabilities etc. I currently claim housing and council tax benefits (private rent), because I work less than 16 h/w at minimum wage.

My father passed away, and now I am due to inherit 50% of his property. My nan lives in this house, and me and my brother are not going to charge her rent.

Will this affect any of my benefits?

Thankyou for reading.

RAS

This will depend on the basis of your father's will. If nan has life interest the rules will be different from if your own it and just let nan live there,.

rogerblack

The house is (probably) disregarded for benefit purposes.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch52.pdf - for example - this is ESA.
52433 'Premises are disregarded indefinitely if ... lived in by ... a relative of a single claimant ... who has reached the qualifying age for state pension credit '

Relative is narrowly defined. If she's the actual grandmother, not step-grandmother, or anything, then it's clear.

In principle, if it had been a non-infirm young relative, you're expected to start legal proceedings to chuck them out, or lose benefit. (if you're on income-based benefits)