Selling previous marital home while on benefits

wilfred123

Hi, I want to keep myself right when it comes to selling my previous home if anyone has been in a similar situation before and could give me the right advice, here goes...

I had split from my husband and moved out of our marital home into a council house with our youngest child, our older child wanted to stay with him, unfortunately my husband died, we weren't legally separated and as we were still married everything was left to me. Our home was on the market for over a year and I have just sold it, I want to keep myself right as I am on benefits and receive housing benefit and I don't know how this will affect me or what I need to declare to the benefits/tax credits etc as I know I am allowed up to £6000 of savings but I have intentions of using the money to buy a new house and move out of my council house, does selling your former home count as savings?

Many thanks

Comms69

There is an exemption period I believe.


If you're selling, why aren't you buying at the same time?

wilfred123

Comms69 wrote: »

There is an exemption period I believe.


If you're selling, why aren't you buying at the same time?

I am buying now the house has sold, I read there is 26 weeks or something, I find it very confusing

TELLIT01

You are correct that the capital from the sale of a property can be disregarded for 26 weeks if the intention is to purchase another property. You do need to inform DWP of the amount received and that you are purchasing a new property.

calcotti

The disregard can be extended beyond 26 weeks at the discretion of the DWP if it is reasonable to do so (if you need longer to complete a purchase for example). As TELLTALE says you need to keep DWP informed about the money and the steps you are taking.