is this fair? Re pensioners and housing..

[nuitdesetoiles]

met a lady in her 60s the other day. her and her h own a 3 bed property outright.

They've decided it's too big for them, but instead of selling it and buying a ground floor flat and saving/investing the rest of the cash they've decided they're "too old for all that buying malarkey" and want to sell it, keep the money and get a social housing flat, paid for by housing benefit . I was . Surely that can't be allowed? there's a massive housing shortage, huge waiting lists, not enough housing, far more vulnerable needy people. She's seems to think she's entitled to it.

I think your friend is in for a surprise then!

It's not allowed. To qualify for housing benefit a person can't have savings of more then 6k. They will check her bank statements.

Perhaps she meant sheltered housing.

Nope, it's not allowed.

She can apply, can't see she'll get what she wants just like that, besides, she's not homeless, as she's got a home, so she'd have to wait until the sale went through, put her stuff in storage and then on the day she's got nothing try to get on the list, they aren't going to turn round and hand her a house straight away. I also thought you needed to have under a certain amount in savings to get any benefit help beyond getting your NI paid for you, I can't see if the assets of a 3 bed house in the bank she would meet that criteria. Unless she's got a disablity, I can't really see why she thinks she'd be at the top of the list even if she was in some way 'entitled' to it.

If you like her, suggest she goes to speak to someone to see what she's actually likely to get, not just what she's entitled to apply for. (also check what she's actually likely to be able to apply for, she seems to be somewhat over optimistic)

oh x post, see it's £6k savings. Do you think her house is worth less than £6k???

She's in for a shock.

With the cash they''ll have stowed away from selling the house they won't be entitled to housing benefit. Also they will not just get a council property, they will have to wait on the waiting list with everyone else, they will be assessed as having a low need as they are sufficiently housed so they are unlikely to ever to get to the top of the list

She has been reading the Daily Mail and is in for a bit of a shock then. Unless they are thinking of giving the money away.

They would be able to move into a retirement flat, but it would not be free, and they would still have to pay rent and all other associated bills.

They would also have to go on a waiting list too, and may have quite a long wait.

if you have over 16k in savings you cannot claim housing or council tax benefit under any circumstances. if you try to dispose of it, by giving it away to children or grandadchildren etc you will not be entitled as you will be treated as still having it. So presumimg their house is wort more than 16k they won't get benefit

• worth obviously. Sorry OP not using you as in you but as a generalisation.

She hasn't done very mich research then, has she? Good luck to her. She'll need it. Unless she's planning on going on a year-long round the world cruise in club class, then pitching up at the housing office with no money left.

Maybe she means shared ownership?

My granddads wife has just recently passed away and he is selling up and downsizing. The council have a scheme called quick key I believe if you are over a certain age where you can get a one bed flat within a week or so apparently. Obviously from the money left over from the house sale he won't be entitled to any benefits and will pay all bills and rent etc. Could she mean something like this?

She can try it but she won't get it.

I would advise her to buy somewhere small, gift the money to her family and hope she lasts another 7 years, or spend it all on having fun. That way, it won't get taken away from them anyway if/when they need resedential care.

Giving the money away or spending it on non-essentials is called deprivation of capital and isn't allowed. They will count it as money they still have.

Sounds like they are either very misguided or planning on a HUGE fiddle!

Thanks for replies, not a friend someone I met through work. I was at her sense of entitlement tbh.

15 or so years ago my MiL somehow managed this, sold her house (albeit only for £20k) which she got as part of her divorce settlement, then got a one bed council flat because she thought she "might as well get things paid for if she could". She now wants and thinks she should be given a 3 bed house, I told her there was no way..that house should go to a family. Added to the fact she's contributed practically nothing to the economy in her life but taken a fair amount in benefits. .