Advice needed urgently. Help please.

harrassedmum

Need some help urgently. Four years ago I was involved in a hit and run accident that left me with severe spinal/neurological injuries and sight loss. I unfortunatley at the moment have to live on benefits as I am physically unable to return to my nursing career. I receive DLA,Incapacity Benefit,CSA,Child benefit and child tax credit. All these added together do not come anywhere near the cost of my mortgage, and I was told I do not qualify for housing benefit (I have an endowment mortgage)and therefore have to constantly borrow money to reach the mortgage payments. My ex-husbands name is still on the mortgage as he refuses to take it off even though I have paid it for the past 4yrs alone,and has stated that he wants me and his kids out of the house asap. Can anyone give me any advice or information regarding housing benefit and how the DHSS work out who is entitled to it. I am struggling to say the least to prevent repossession and have not a clue what to do or who to turn to. I hit a wall with the DHSS. I would value any decent advice so I can maintain a home for my children.:(

dmg24

Hi harrassedmum,

HB is not payable for mortgages, you would be looking to claim ISMI. However, this is only payable when you are in receipt of Income Support (and only then after a long waiting period), and from the income you have described, I have a feeling that you may have too much coming in to qualify.

If you could post some figures as to what you receive, it may be possible for us to give more accurate advice. Alternatively, you could get an estimation at www.entitledto.co.uk.

With regard to your husband and the house, you really need to take legal advice on this x

harrassedmum

Thanks for the advice, but what I dont understand is that my monthly mortgage payments total far more than I have coming in, but I wil go to the website you advised. Thanks again.

lil_me

Mortgage payments are not paid by any benefits which is why a lot in your situation would usually claim from a payment protection policy. If you qualify you may be able to get the 'interest only' mortgage payments but this also has a long qualifying period, they will not make payments towards your repayment in any way, only the interest.

I think you need to seek legal advice ASAP regarding your EXs demands, I think you will find as you are resident with children under 16 he'll struggle to make demands like those of course we have limited information about this but get yourself some good family law advice. If he wants his name to stay on the mortgage you should have done as many others do and get 2 direct debits set up for half the mortgage each.

seven-day-weekend

There is very little help avavilable to help you pay a mortgage (only for rent), you have to be on a means-tested benefit such as Income Support, and then it is only paid if your income is low enough. Even if it is agreed, as others have said it is only the interest that is paid and then only after a nine-month wait.

If your ex's name is still on the mortgage, he should surely be helping you to pay it.

Take legal advice asap.

suelees1

As the others have said don't waste any time in seeking legal advice about his contributions and his threats.

real1314

harrassedmum wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, but what I dont understand is that my monthly mortgage payments total far more than I have coming in, but I wil go to the website you advised. Thanks again.

Put the figures on here and people can usually give a very accurate assesment of what you should get.
The waiting period for Mortgage Interest on Income Support is 39 weeks, but I think they will count periods of claiming SSP or Incapacity Benefit towards this if this is the trigger. Would I be right in thinking that it's your ex leaving that is the trigger in your case?
You might be able to suspend the payments towards the endowment part of the mortgage - speak to the lender?

suelees1

If you're in receipt of the middle rate care component of DLA, there are no other adults living with you and no-one is being paid Carers Allowance for looking after you then the amount the law says you need to live on (for yourself only) is at least £136.70. If on the high rate care component it's 149.30. Your Incapacity Benefit is lower than this so you need to claim IS immediately.

As real1314 says there is a waiting period before they'll pay you 'Income Support Mortgage Interest' depending on when you took out your mortgage. If it was before October 1995 you have only 8 weeks to wait but if it was after you have to wait 39 weeks.

jul22

I would seriously advise you put a claim for Income Support (IS) in. As you have been sick for over a year then you would be entitled to the Disability Premium, but might be entitled to further premiums depending on what rate of DLA your receive.
Unlike Incapabity Benefit (IB) IS is means tested. Therefore any money (other than DLA) coming in will taken into account.
However, as the mortgage is in your husband's name I'm not 100% certain if IS can help (hopefully someone else can help with that one!). If you are eligible for help with the mortgage, it is only the interest that is paid - and not the balance. In addition, the period that you have been claiming IB will count towards your qualifying period. If you have been iro IB for over 39 weeks then you may be eligible for help with your mortgage from the outset of an IS claim.

~Chameleon~

IS won't be able to help with payments towards the endowment part of the mortgage, you would still need to fund that part yourself, but if you qualify for ISMI (subject to a successful IS claim) they will be able to help with the interest only payments toward the mortgage.

suelees1

jul22 wrote: »

However, as the mortgage is in your husband's name I'm not 100% certain if IS can help (hopefully someone else can help with that one!).

... it doesn't matter that the mortgage is in the husband's name