Housing Benefit and part property ownership

lizthemeerkat

hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong place. When my Dad passed away my Mum sold their house and bought somewhere new. She said that dads share was in trust to myself and my sibling. However, she’s looked into it now as she wants to move again and I’m actually named as a part owner. So I own 1/4 of the house. However, there is a clause that says Mum has a lifetime interest in it and can do as she pleases for her lifetime. So I have no access to the capital until Mum passes away. 

I’m a single mum and claim housing benefit, I’m now terrified that I do actually “own my own property” and shouldn’t have been getting housing benefit. Can anyone advise? I’m so stressed. 

calcotti

lizthemeerkat said:

hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong place. When my Dad passed away my Mum sold their house and bought somewhere new. She said that dads share was in trust to myself and my sibling. However, she’s looked into it now as she wants to move again and I’m actually named as a part owner. So I own 1/4 of the house. However, there is a clause that says Mum has a lifetime interest in it and can do as she pleases for her lifetime. So I have no access to the capital until Mum passes away. 

I’m a single mum and claim housing benefit, I’m now terrified that I do actually “own my own property” and shouldn’t have been getting housing benefit. Can anyone advise? I’m so stressed. 

If you have no access to the capital because you cannot sell the property then the value of your share is effectively nil - so it shouldn't matter.
If your mum is pension age or receives a disability benefit any share of a property she lives in is disregarded anyway.