Charging my mum rent?

sniper786

Hi all,

I own our family home on a mortgage. I live with my mother and my 2 younger brothers.

Unfortunately my father passed away recently and did not leave anything behind such as life assurance or savings. My mother and him were separated.

He did work and from that he would give me a reasonable amount of money that would help me pay the mortgage every month.

Now he has passed away it is very difficult for us financially. Someone suggested to me charging my mother rent and she may be eligible for some housing benefit which means she can pay me rent as i am finding it difficult to sustain the family in this house.

I wanted to ask if this is feasible?

I almost feel embarassed writing this as it seems like i am trying to cheat the system but when my parents separated we could have moved into a rented home and she could have claimed HB back then but i wanted to do things 'proper' and make sure we paid our way.

Any help would be appreciated.

benefitbaby

Don't feel embarassed it is a fair question to ask.

Unfortunately your Mum cannot qualify for HB as she is a close family member and resides in the same house with you.

You may want to check that your mother is receiving all the benefits she is entitled to and this will depend on her age.

nannytone_2

she wont get any housing benefit whilst living in the sane house as you

Man_Overboard_2

benefitbaby wrote: »

Unfortunately your Mum cannot qualify for HB as she is a close family member and resides in the same house with you

What is the difference between this OP, and the OP on the 'mother and sister moving in' thread?

On the one hand, you say that the rules allow two closely-related 'claimant groups' can share a house as two separate households, whilst on the other hand you say that such a thing is not possible.

whitewing

Was your dad on the mortgage too?

If it is just you on the mortgage, then the mortgage should be affordable for you? What has changed since you took the mortgage out, if your dad wasn't on it? I am not trying to pick holes at this sad time for you but trying to understand if anything else has changed too.

Dunroamin

If your mother is below pension age, couldn't she get a job to enable her to contribute to the household?

sniper786

Dunroamin wrote: »

If your mother is below pension age, couldn't she get a job to enable her to contribute to the household?

Mum is unwell herself and cannot work, plus she is a carer to my disabled younger brother

sniper786

whitewing wrote: »

Was your dad on the mortgage too?

If it is just you on the mortgage, then the mortgage should be affordable for you? What has changed since you took the mortgage out, if your dad wasn't on it? I am not trying to pick holes at this sad time for you but trying to understand if anything else has changed too.

No, just me. My income has dropped since we took the mortgage.

benefitbaby

Man_Overboard wrote: »

What is the difference between this OP, and the OP on the 'mother and sister moving in' thread?

On the one hand, you say that the rules allow two closely-related 'claimant groups' can share a house as two separate households, whilst on the other hand you say that such a thing is not possible.

The mother is not jointly liable for rent in this case and so the OP would be deemed to be a live-in landlord.

Mojisola

sniper786 wrote: »

Mum is unwell herself and cannot work, plus she is a carer to my disabled younger brother

Is she claiming any benefits - carers allowance, DLA?

Does your brother claim any benefits?

Man_Overboard_2

benefitbaby wrote: »

The mother is not jointly liable for rent in this case and so the OP would be deemed to be a live-in landlord.

Thanks for clarifying that - it makes perfect sense.

It might have been better if the OP's dad had been giving the money to the OP's mum, so that the OP would have perceived the money as coming from his mum, as rent, rather than from his dad, as a kind of random contribution to the general household expenses.

As you and other posters have suggested, maybe now is the time for the OP's mum to look for a way to make up the shortfall from her own resources.