Renting/Buying/Gifted a house while I claim UC - Could I claim Housing Benifit?

ocelot20

Hello,


I was made redundant earlier this year. Lucky for me I have been a bit careful with my money over the years and managed to save a bit of money (about £12k saving). Once I was made redundant I moved back in with my parents.


My parents want to help me out by loaning me some money/gifting me some money to help me buy a £25K-£30K flat or house. The thing is I am currently claiming Universal Credit. I have 2 zero hour contracts jobs and I try and get as many hours as possible. Some months have been ok in terms of work and some have been poor.


I am not to clued up on housing benefits. But I am pretty sure I just can't buy a £30K property tomorrow then claim HB right? However, What if I was to give my parents my savings. Then they buy a flat/house and then rent it out to me. Would I able to claim HB?



Now I am hoping I won't have to do any of the above as I hope to be back in work by early next year (fingers crossed). But lets just say I am still stuck with 2x zero hour jobs in 6 months time. What are my options? I really don't want to go back to renting again.

marliepanda

1. Have you declared your 12k to UC?
2. No you can’t ‘give’ your parents your money and get HB
3. Why would you need HB if you own a 25/30k flat...
4. No you won’t get HB to pay your parents rent on a flat they just bought to rent to you

Your options? Use your 12k to pay your bills.

NeilCr

You can't claim HB separately to UC

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/what-universal-credit-is/

[Deleted User]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrived_tenancy

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_topics/paying_for_a_home/housing_benefit/housing_benefit_if_you_rent_from_a_family_member

poppy12345

ocelot20 wrote: »

I am not to clued up on housing benefits. But I am pretty sure I just can't buy a £30K property tomorrow then claim HB right? However, What if I was to give my parents my savings. Then they buy a flat/house and then rent it out to me. Would I able to claim HB?

Why would you even want to claim the housing element of UC if you buy your own home? This is called a contrived tenancy. This means renting of a property to a family member for the purpose of receiving housing benefits or in this case the housing element of UC and won't be allowed.

Topcat1982

Please do not give your parents the £12k, that is deprivation of capital.

Comms69

ocelot20 wrote: »

Hello,


I was made redundant earlier this year. Lucky for me I have been a bit careful with my money over the years and managed to save a bit of money (about £12k saving). Once I was made redundant I moved back in with my parents.


My parents want to help me out by loaning me some money/gifting me some money to help me buy a £25K-£30K flat or house. The thing is I am currently claiming Universal Credit. I have 2 zero hour contracts jobs and I try and get as many hours as possible. Some months have been ok in terms of work and some have been poor.


I am not to clued up on housing benefits. But I am pretty sure I just can't buy a £30K property tomorrow then claim HB right? However, What if I was to give my parents my savings. Then they buy a flat/house and then rent it out to me. Would I able to claim HB?



Now I am hoping I won't have to do any of the above as I hope to be back in work by early next year (fingers crossed). But lets just say I am still stuck with 2x zero hour jobs in 6 months time. What are my options? I really don't want to go back to renting again.

Uhm use your savings? That what theyre for?

Mojisola

ocelot20 wrote: »

I am not to clued up on housing benefits.

But I am pretty sure I just can't buy a £30K property tomorrow then claim HB right?

HB is help to pay your rent.

If you bought a property, why would you need to claim HB?

annandale

You can buy a flat and then claim the personal element of uc. I would assume that the money to buy the flat would need to be in your bank the day the contracts were exchanged. That is what happened when I bought my flat. Mine was for a lot less than 20k. I would advise uc that you are being gifted money to buy a flat.

You cannot claim housing element on uc if you no longer need housing element. That is fraud.

If you are still stuck with two zero hours contracts you would have to live in your flat and pay bills like everyone else in that situation I expect.

If you were renting it out and the tenants paid you rent or claimed housing element and that was passed to you you would have to let the dwp know about your change of circumstances.

Are your parents gifting you money to buy the flat or are they expecting you to pay them rent once they have bought it.

annandale

I am on uc and I bought my flat while I was on uc. The dwp knew. As I said above the sum involved was a lot less than 20k. Not even 10k. But they have to be informed of your plans. And if your parents gifted you money to buy a flat then you claimed housing element to pay them back then you need to take advice as it could be seen as someone already said as a contrived tenancy

annandale

Do universal credit know about your savings? If they are over 6k then I believe they should know.