Need some advice regarding housing benefit

alldoomandgloom

Hi all,

I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice please? My husband has announced that he doesn't want to be with me anymore, but has no where to go, so I was wondering if I was to move into a rented property (I am currently working part-time and due to start another part-time job in a couple of weeks) would I be eligible for any assistance with housing costs?

We have a house (with a mortgage) together, which eventually we will sell, but in the meantime I don't have that much money coming in, I can borrow money for the deposit on a rented place from a family member but it would take almost all my wages to pay for even a modest little place, I never thought I would find myself in this situation after 20 years of marriage, but I have, I will be earning approximately £180 per week when I start the new job.

Can anyone offer me any advice?

Thanks for reading

karenx

Are there children involved? That will be moving with you! Why is it you that has to move out and not him?

nannytone_2

you would only be able to claim help with rent if the property you jointly own is up for sale, and then only for a period of 26 weeks.

alldoomandgloom

yes, we have one child, we will put the property up for sale, but at the moment he is using our house insurance to fund legal costs for another matter, so if we sell, then he will lose the funding

alldoomandgloom

karenx wrote: »

Are there children involved? That will be moving with you! Why is it you that has to move out and not him?

he has no where to go, and even if he did he couldn't afford to pay for me to stay in the house and to rent somewhere himself, so at the moment we are stuck under the same roof which is so very hard, as I don't want to break up, but he says he does.

Bubby

nannytone wrote: »

you would only be able to claim help with rent if the property you jointly own is up for sale, and then only for a period of 26 weeks.

Thats not correct. If you are entitled to income support/esa or job seekers allowance then you can make a claim for mortgage interest relief which will help with interest on 50% of the property if you are joint owners. If you move out then you may be classed as making yourself homeless. Does your husband realise that he will have to pay child maintenance?

If you are claiming child/working tax credits ring up and make them aware of the situation and they *may* class you as separated and then do an individual claim. Does the house have any equity?

nannytone_2

the OP states that she is moving into a pribate rental, so there would be no mortgage to pay.

the mortgaged property would need to be up for sale for her to receive housing benefit/lha ( except in exceptional vircumstances)

missapril75

Actually there is a 26 week disregard from leaving a home following estrangement.

A further 26 weeks could be applied after that for selling reasons.

Bubby

nannytone wrote: »

the OP states that she is moving into a pribate rental, so there would be no mortgage to pay.

the mortgaged property would need to be up for sale for her to receive housing benefit/lha ( except in exceptional vircumstances)

She wouldn't be eligible if she leaves the property, my comment was if she decides to stay in the property. I should imagine that due to owning the house and leaving this of her own will then she in turn will not be eligible to housing benefit although she would need to check with her local housing authority.

Cornish_piskie

alldoomandgloom wrote: »

he has no where to go, and even if he did he couldn't afford to pay for me to stay in the house and to rent somewhere himself, so at the moment we are stuck under the same roof which is so very hard, as I don't want to break up, but he says he does.

Why would his position moving out be any different to yours?

You say he has nowhere to go - well, like you are suggesting for yourself, he could rent a modest place.

You say he couldn't afford to pay for you to stay in the house - but surely you would pay to stay in the house yourself the same as you would pay your costs in moving into your own place.

Where will the child be living?

missapril75

Bubby wrote: »

I should imagine that due to owning the house and leaving this of her own will then she in turn will not be eligible to housing benefit although she would need to check with her local housing authority.

Housing benefits have no regard as to why someone left a previous home. That's Housing/Homelessness issues you're thinking of.