incap & housing help please?

CB1979_2

hi guys, my g/f has had an op in Oct 06 on her jaw & had to have another op in Feb 07 (bearing in mind we got told she should be fine after 3 months MAX! :eek: )

anyway she has been on Stat Sick pay for the last 6 months and now is due to go on incap benefit.

without going into too much detail, we are looking to move out as we are staying with my parents at the moment and she's finding it increasingly difficult to recover in freedom of wandering around the house.

now my questions:

1) her work have said that she has accumulated 10.5 days holiday whilst she's been off sick, but if she "cashes" them in, she won't be entitled to Incapacity benefit, as it classes her as going back to work. Is this right?
if so how else can she get these holiday entitlement from her old employers wihtout it affecting any incapacity claim?

2) a)I want to see if she is able to get any housing benefit for if we move out, would we be able to do this as she will literally be on about £250 a month on incap benefit.
b) if so, would we be able to claim as a pair, obviously I don't want anything but if our rent ws going to be £600 pcm then surely she'd be entitled to get something to contribute towards the rent?
c) would the fact I have £20k in savings affect her potential to get housing benefit?
d) if not, I do NOT want to scam the system, but how will she be able to get benefit? would she have to say she's single?
e) we have a house together that we actually rent out (was originally for 6 months max whilst she recovers!) we make very minimal "profit" as it was just purely to cover our costs, would this affect it?

I just don't see why I should be expected to pay for someone else (I of course will) but if she would be better off claiming as a single person then that's what we'll do, just don't think it's right that just cos i earn alright money (and the fact we're not even engaged) that it should be expected for me to pick up the tab, i mean £70 a week is hardly enough as it is, it's lucky I have all but cleared all her debts so she actually only has about £100 pcm bills at the moment as she's not paying any rent to my parents, cos they said not to.

sorry for the long post and thanks in advance

healy

2)a) If you live as a couple given your circumstances she would not get any Housing Benefit.

b) If you live as a couple you would have to claim as a couple and given your circumstances would not get any housing benefit.

c) As you have £20,000 in savings this alone would prevent you getting ANY Housing Benefit if you live together.

d) If she lives alone she will get Housing Benefit, but if she says she is single and you live together this would be FRAUDULENT.

e) As you already have a house you could live in you would not be able to claim Housing Benefit anyway.