Benefits & owning home help?

sarahdaisy22

I’m currently disabled & therefore cannot work. I receive PIP ESA and universal credit with housing element.
I am in private rented accommodation & my UC housing benefit doesn’t cover the full costs.
ive been on the waiting list for social housing but no chance of getting one due to demand.
a Family member passed away & left me money which would be just enough to buy me a property still near friends who help look after me. It’s to live in for the rest of my life , I’ve no interest or able to move again, it would be nice to feel secure in a home I own outright but what will happen to my benefits? Will I still be entitled to some? Or  Be disqualified?

I won’t have any money left over after I buy a property and I’m not sure what I’ll do to survive.
it’s such a nerve wracking time. Many would be grateful to be left such a sum but it’s causing me severe anxiety and I worry I’ll be worse off. 
Thanks 

elsien

If you are living in the house that you’ve bought it won’t affect your benefits other than obviously you won’t get the housing element anymore. However you do need to think about the cost of maintenance of wherever you buy because if you’ve always lived in rented properties you may not realise how expensive some repairs can be. 

If you buy a flat rather than a house, you will also need to take account of service charges which you would have to pay for yourself.

Otherwise, it only counts as an asset for benefits  purposes if you’re not living there. You will still get the other benefits that you get there. 

Have you had the money yet, because if you have you should have declared it and your benefits would stop In the meantime.

sarahdaisy22

Thanks for your reply,

If I buy a flat I would be living in it.

However I have taken onboard what you’ve said. It’s a lot to think about & consider. 

No I haven’t received any money yet, however, the lawyer dealing with the Will told me how much I’d likely receive after the sale of the deceased family members house was completed.

I’m also not the sole beneficiary but I should receive enough for a 1 bedroom flat. 

Either way I’ll have to move out of my current private rental as it’s only bc a studio and not suitable for my needs as my health is declining. Private rentals are in high demand in my area so it’s a struggle to get one.


I’m going to have to try and figure it all out.
thanks. 

elsien

I’ve got it a little bit wrong, you might get something towards service charges if you’re on universal credit.
https://www.gov.uk/housing-and-universal-credit/property-you-own#:~:text=Help%20with%20service%20charges,re%20employed%20or%20self%2Demployed

HillStreetBlues

I do not see a problem of buying your own place with your inheritance but once the money has been paid your UC will stop and restart (if below £16k) once you buy the property, unless you can do it all within one AP.
As advised above you can claim towards a service change, but not ground rent. 

Spoonie_Turtle

HillStreetBlues said:

I do not see a problem of buying your own place with your inheritance but once the money has been paid your UC will stop and restart (if below £16k) once you buy the property, unless you can do it all within one AP.
As advised above you can claim towards a service change, but not ground rent. 

OP just so you know that shouldn't be a problem - as you still receive ESA your WCA status will continue, so you won't have any complications reclaiming UC.

justwhat

What will you do with the money if you don't buy a house?. Because not spending it may cause you to lose some UC.

itsthelittlethings

Just to give some encouragement, obviously there are things to think about with home ownership such as maintenance costs. Get into the habit of saving for large expenditure, such as new roofs etc. But having a home of your own, even a flat, can be transformational. It's great to be out of the rental market, especially when health is a consideration!