Inheritance and benefits

Mojisola

BurnleyBob wrote: »

I don't know how you made those matter-of-fact assumptions from reading the opening post.

'If you're going to live in the house, it makes no difference' is plainly incorrect under any number of scenarios.

If, for example, she was living as a secure tenant at a social housing property and was in receipt of any means-tested benefit when her mother died then upping sticks to move there would see those benefits withdrawn after a certain period and remain that way for years because the DWP, LA or both would say she should have stayed put, flogged the other property and be denied those benefits until her savings fall below relevant thresholds.

I don't think they do.

BurnleyBob

Then you think wrongly. If at the time of her mother's passing she was unintentionally homeless or in temporary accommodation then, very likely, there'd be no problem. If she had been living at her mother's property for, let's say, six months or longer before she died then no problem at all. But in the circumstances I outlined she would be in an awkward spot with regards to current and future means-tested benefits.

dandelionclock30

I know someone who was on benefits and lived in a council rented flat. Their Dad passed away and he then went to live in his Dads terraced house which he had inherited.The DWP werent telling him he had to sell it and live off the money!!!
I find it very difficult to believe that if you inherited a house and lived in social housing then you would be expected to sell it and live off the proceeds, when you want to live in it.Where exactly does it say that in any policy or document please?

xylophone

Re:trust fund. It's not actually true that the DWP don't count a trust fund as capital, they do even if you don't have access to the money.

If this is a discretionary trust, I don't see how this can be the case -
http://www.kingstonmencap.co.uk/docs/Discretionarytrustsguide2010.pdf