Help available for UC claimant with mortgage?

ShinyStarlight1

A family member’s girlfriend is living in rented accommodation. It is damp, mouldy, and leaks water when it rains. The landlord steadfastly refuses to sort these problems out.

Her rent is £750 pcm which is paid for as she is on Universal Credit (she is a single parent with a small child and has a very demanding job).

I think she might be better off if she owned a house - the monthly mortgage payments would be less and she would have more control over her home.

Does anyone know if UC helps towards mortgage payments? 

Caz3121

there are loans for mortgage interest https://www.gov.uk/support-for-mortgage-interest
Has she explored what type of properties might be available based on her potential mortgage plus deposit?
If she is currently getting full help with rent the likelihood is she will receive less help however will have an asset but the additional costs on maintaining that asset

marcia_

ShinyStarlight1 said:

A family member’s girlfriend is living in rented accommodation. It is damp, mouldy, and leaks water when it rains. The landlord steadfastly refuses to sort these problems out.

Her rent is £750 pcm which is paid for as she is on Universal Credit (she is a single parent with a small child and has a very demanding job).

I think she might be better off if she owned a house - the monthly mortgage payments would be less and she would have more control over her home.

Does anyone know if UC helps towards mortgage payments? 

 Where would she get a deposit for buying? 

Will she earn enough to maintain the house including large jobs should they arise. 

tacpot12

Has she asked her council for help with the landlord that won't do repairs? She can potentially pay for the repairs herself and deduct it from the rent if she follows the correct process. There is information here: What to do if your private landlord won’t do repairs - Shelter England

 

kkkklinky

They would need a deposit to buy a house...where would that money come from since there are savings limits which could invalidate UC. I think UC onlu pays the interest on mortgage payments not the full amount(although I may be wrong). Relying on UC to cover the mortgage is very risky. Plus other expenses like potential repairs.

born_again

kkkklinky said:

They would need a deposit to buy a house...where would that money come from since there are savings limits which could invalidate UC. I think UC onlu pays the interest on mortgage payments not the full amount(although I may be wrong). Relying on UC to cover the mortgage is very risky. Plus other expenses like potential repairs.

https://www.gov.uk/support-for-mortgage-interest/what-youll-get

Interest only & it is a loan. So will be paid back.

Rubyroobs

If she had a mortgage she would get a higher work allowance but there is no specific help towards mortgage payments. Support for mortgage interest can be claimed but is a loan which needs to be paid back. My understanding is that this is more for people who have a mortgage and fall on hard times rather than something you think about claiming when you have just taken out a mortgage- I cannot understand how that could be allowed? Also as others have said where would the deposit come from given that you cannot have more than 16k in savings on UC?
Has she perhaps considered shared ownership?