Can I claim Housing Benefit if I'm a legal co-owner of a property?

PasturesNew

You are using the calculator wrong. You are living in the house with many other family members..... you can't count them in when you do it.

The Council might have a "help with the deposit" scheme. Find out if they do. They could lend you the money.

Gilganjn

notanewuser wrote: »

It's not just me that thinks you are a fraud. Income tax is not a savings account. YOU DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE BENEFITS YOU ARE CLAIMING. Full stop.

Whatever you did for your sister she has screwed you over. So has your dad. There's no benefit available for that.

Then what do you suggest I do? If I stopped claiming benefits I'd have no income whatsoever and probably wouldn't survive too long. I don't really have a choice right now, unless you have any productive advice that I could move forward with?

As far as them screwing me over, it does feel that way sometimes but it's not quite like that. They are good people at heart, I've just let the situation go on for so long without interfering that they got so comfortable with the setup. I feel maybe it'll take time for them to come to terms with reality but they'll get there in the end.

Pixie5740

Gilganjn wrote: »

As far as defrauding JSA, I mean I have paid income tax for 20 years, I don't feel like a fraud. I just feel like an unconventional claimant, but someone who is genuine need of some basic support from a system that I've contributed to for years. I'm sorry if you feel I'm a fraud, I did not intend to cause any harm to anyone, I'm literally just trying to survive right now.

That not how benefits work. It's not that people feel you are a fraud it's that you are fraudulently claiming benefits...FACT.

There is away of improving your situation but it means dealing with your family. Easier said than done I know.

Newly_retired

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_help_if_on_a_low_income_ew/help_with_your_rent_-_housing_benefit.htm
The section about claiming when living with a relative is quite clear.

As for your jSA, if it is based on your contributions, that's fine, but if it is means-tested, you need to have declared your co-ownership. It seems to me that as you are not drawing any income from the property and are living there that you are ok to claim in JSA, but you should check that out.
JSA is not intended to cover housing costs. As you are not paying rent, and maybe not contributing to utilities, just buying your own food, you should be able to save a bit each week.
Did you not manage to save any money when you were working?

There is a fundamental flaw with the arrangements re this property which you need to sort out with your family.

notanewuser

Gilganjn wrote: »

Then what do you suggest I do? If I stopped claiming benefits I'd have no income whatsoever and probably wouldn't survive too long. I don't really have a choice right now, unless you have any productive advice that I could move forward with?

As far as them screwing me over, it does feel that way sometimes but it's not quite like that. They are good people at heart, I've just let the situation go on for so long without interfering that they got so comfortable with the setup. I feel maybe it'll take time for them to come to terms with reality but they'll get there in the end.

Rob a granny at knife point? Sell some drugs?

No? You wouldn't do those things, but you'll happily defraud the benefits system rather than have a tough conversation with your closest family.

Go and see a solicitor about your property rights. It's your family that owe you money, not the taxpayer.

Newly_retired

The OP may not be in the wrong for claiming JSA.
People who own a property and live in it are not barred from JSA.

S/he may be able to get her family to stump up a deposit to get a rental and MAY then be entitled to HB.
OP, talk to the local authority, who administer HB, to see if you would be entitled to HB when you rent, as your sister is living in the property you co-own. You don't want to get the deposit together to move into rental only to find you can't pay the rent.
Your sister has certainly a moral obligation towards you.
But do not become a benefit cheat.

Gilganjn

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I would suggest you go to the council and ask about a Discretionary Housing payment for your rent and deposit up front but the fact you own a house complicates matters.

I know it is difficult but this is a family matter that you need to sort out. I have no doubt that you did not want to rock the boat whilst you were working but things have changed.

If you do not want to approach your sister and dad about setting things straight as regards the house then perhaps you could ask one of them for the money for your own place.

The one possible way out is to talk to the council about your situation.

It may be that the value of your share of the house is not taken into account because there is no value if your dad and sister refuse to sell.

However, this is a complicated matter. Perhaps CAB would be able to advise.

If, based on the above, you are eligible for HB then it would only be for another property not on the house you co own.

If you know that you are eligible for HB then you could ask for a Discretionary Housing Payment for your rent and deposit up front.

Just one final word. If you go this route then questions are likely to be raised about not declaring your co ownership when claiming JSA.

Go to CAB and get some help - that's my best advice.

Thank you for the information and advice, I'm going to look further into this and see where it leads. It's true I didn't want to rock the boat for a long time, and I haven't gone into all details either as they do the "upkeep" of the property and this is usually paid for by themselves but over the 10 years it can't be more than perhaps £10000 (possibly a lot less), painting, plastering, general maintenance whereas they've saved in the region of £50000 to £60000 in rental costs. I think they feel that because they've kept the property in good condition that they somehow have a much stronger claim on it. Also my sister was under some strange notion that because she has paid council tax for years that she has a stronger claim on the property while I've told her that tenants are usually liable for council tax and that I've paid council tax in all the places I've rented over the years - either separately or absorbed by the rental cost.

Anyway I got off track, apologies, I clearly need to get some stuff off my chest! I'm going to investigate the Discretionary Housing Payment angle, if I could obtain that for the next property that I'll move into then it would be the ideal situation. Or maybe I'm getting that confused with the advanced housing benefit - I remember reading about it online but couldn't find too much info.

Gilganjn

PasturesNew wrote: »

You are using the calculator wrong. You are living in the house with many other family members..... you can't count them in when you do it.

The Council might have a "help with the deposit" scheme. Find out if they do. They could lend you the money.

Ok I'll re-do it now, cheers for the info.

That's the scheme I was reading about some time ago "help with deposit", or something along those lines. I'll have to investigate that further. If I recall, it wasn't applicable to this council and so I think that's why I haven't pursued it but I'm going to double-check again, thanks for reminding me.

SerialRenter

Honestly i think the best option would be to forget trying to build up a deposit with JSA and just focus purely on trying to get any job you can (that pays more than JSA), that'll:

A) keep you out of the house and out of confrontation with your sister
Allow you to build a deposit in a much shorter time to get out of the house.

Once you're out, then you'll be able to approach the house ownership problem without it being awkward around the dinner table.

Gilganjn

notanewuser wrote: »

Rob a granny at knife point? Sell some drugs?

No? You wouldn't do those things, but you'll happily defraud the benefits system rather than have a tough conversation with your closest family.

Go and see a solicitor about your property rights. It's your family that owe you money, not the taxpayer.

I don't equate the crimes you described to what I'm currently doing to survive. It's a shame you see it that way but I won't be able to change your mind.

I know technically the family owe me but I'm in a difficult position as I don't want to cause stress on their marriage, they have kids which I'm close to. I'd hate to think I somehow negatively effected their childhood.