To think you shouldn't be claiming benefits if you've just bought a house outright?

[coffeerevelsrock]

I've posted about this before- ex paid noting in CM for years then about £140ish per month for a couple of years and has them about 3 nights per fortnight but buys them NOTHING. Two dc.

He recently inherited enough to buy a £200k house in cash. There may well be more money, I don't know though it couldn't be that much more don't think. I have to pay him £10k as marriage equity in about 10 years.

I just got a letter to say his CM contributions will now be nil as he's on benefits??? I just can't believe it. I feel sick. I don't rely on the money but how much of a kick in the teeth can it be? and surely he shouldn't be able to claim benefits with that money?

I've rung CM and because he's on benefits and has them at least 52 nights per year there's nothing they can do. He has arrears too which he could have paid.

Can I report him somewhere? He's ignoring my messages. I want to email him mum or something. I'm off work with stress and this has tipped me over.

Actually buying a house does count as "deprivation of benefits" in regards to UC, I misread the link I posted. So Thecathouse is completely right. In fact, if he's on UC, the link I posted above suggests that paying off debt - which surely includes child maintenance arrears? - is the only thing allowed other than normal living expenses.

He may only be receiving non-means tested benefits such as PIP, of course, but surely the cost of maintaining a house plus living expenses on just PIP wouldn't be feasible. It does seem slightly odd he was able to do this.

He can buy house with inheritance. Nothing you can do. Is somewhere he can have dc to stay
Longer term dc should inherit it?
How old are dc?
Presumably he feeds them when he has them at least?

Xenobitch if she has deprived herself if funds through excessive spending then she may not be entitled to benefits.

Report him for benefit fraud.

I think you're just gonna have to suck it up and accept that he has used his inheritence to put a roof over his and the kids heads because he has a progressive illness - I don't think there is anything wrong with that, hopefully the kids will eventually inherit the house which will have increase in value by then too.

Whats the situation with regards to your housing?

In an ideal world, what would you have liked him to do with the inheritence?

He doesn't get PIP. He can work. I'm not being harsh, but I know he can work. And the gig is quite demanding physically - he plays sax, which is a heavy instrument that takes a lot of energy. When he first got diagnosed about 16 years ago there were times he feared not being able to play, but a new drug he's been on over the last few years has worked well for him. I know it might not always be the case but he can work atm and doesn't get PIP. He may be his sister's carer (not sure but I do know he lives with her 70% of the time) but don't know if he gets anything for that.

Meanwhile, I'm a teacher and working f/t as I always have. I'm off atm with stress and finding it all so hard. I would LOVE to go p/t or step down from my management role but I daren't financially and need to just sort myself out and get on because he will never step up for our dc financially - he outsourced that to me years ago and does what suits him.

The dc may inherit, but he has told them he plans to cash in the house when they leave home and go to live in Italy, so I wouldn't count on it if I were them. He hasn’t put a roof over their heads – they have that with me. I have a mortgage that is larger than it would be had I not had to buy him out, but I’m secure – as long as I maintain my salary.

@Kebabandchipsplease he had enough money to buy a £200k house outright. He doesn’t need to claim benefits because he had over £200k in savings/inheritance!

I voted YABU for the benefits bashing thread title.

Various benefits can be claiming regardless of your wealth, and there are plenty of scenarios where people on means-tested benefits can and should use a windfall to buy a house.

@Kebabandchipsplease

To add as well:

As the money did not come from the sale of a previous home, or deposited with a HA, or is a grant, there is no disregard period so UC would stop immediately as soon as the money is received (declared).

When the property is bought, then UC would start again assuming they are under the allowed limits, as property used as the main residence is disregarded

If UC had found out about the money before the house purchase, they would have stopped his claim for being over the £16k limit. But do you know what would've happened if they find out after the fact? Would they stop his claim and say 'it should have been stopped from this date' or would they work out the period that he was ineligible, declare anything paid during that time an overpayment, and keep his existing award going?

@RandomLondoner

Report him for potential benefit fraud if you have suspicions.

I don't think housing equity has ever been counted as an asset when it comes to benefits means-testing, do I don't see any reason to think he's doing anything wrong.

Either way it's nothing the ex's mum can help with. Let the official channels investigate either way

He can work. I'm not being harsh, but I know he can work. And the gig is quite demanding physically - he plays sax, which is a heavy instrument that takes a lot of energy.

OP, you have a bright future as a PIP assessor.

@Hont1986

He can work. I'm not being harsh, but I know he can work. And the gig is quite demanding physically - he plays sax, which is a heavy instrument that takes a lot of energy.

OP, you have a bright future as a PIP assessor.

Hehe so true.

OP if you think his benefits are falsely claimed then challenge them but it is haaaard to get PIP so if it's that be prepared that it might be a legitimate claim. He doesn't have to keep you updated on his health.

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Presumably no rules have been broken and no fraud has taken place (innocent until proven guilty).

If you care that strongly join or set up a campaign group or lobby your MP for changes.

Ok, so let’s say you had a windfall, eg winning the Lottery. You buy a great house, a Range Rover, have a few holidays and then have less than £16k left over. Do you really think you should be able to claim benefits?

Apparently on the MoneySavingExpert one of the most asked questions is how can people continue to claim benefits after getting an inheritance.

Ok, so let’s say you had a windfall, eg winning the Lottery. You buy a great house, a Range Rover, have a few holidays and then have less than £16k left over. Do you really think you should be able to claim benefits?

I do. I genuinely do. I don't want a system where people are expected to sell their family homes before they can receive any help, or penalised because they went on holiday when times were good. Are they supposed to eat the memories?

@DottyHarmer

Ok, so let’s say you had a windfall, eg winning the Lottery. You buy a great house, a Range Rover, have a few holidays and then have less than £16k left over. Do you really think you should be able to claim benefits?

Apparently on the MoneySavingExpert one of the most asked questions is how can people continue to claim benefits after getting an inheritance.

Benefits would not cover the upkeep/bills for a great house and Range Rover.

He doesn't get Pip! I have known the man for 20 odd years and he throws every sob story known to man at me to justify not paying. If his MS was preventing him from working and/or he was claiming PIP or DLA he would 100% have replied to my messages this morning telling me I'm a heartless cow and what do I expect him to do when he's disabled etc etc. And maybe he would have point if that was what was happening, Obviously we don't keep abreast of each other's news, but what reason would he have not to tell me this if I'm asking him why his CM payments have stopped?

I also know two other people with MS - one has to use a wheelchair 2 years after her diagnosis and the other is in the same job as me, has had it for 20 odd years and, while she has days with a lot of fatigue, most people would not know she had any sort of condition. Both work. It's an unpredictable disease that's different for different people and at different times, but I do know that he is able to work at the moment in the line of work he does. It doesn't make me a wannabe PIP assessor but I don't think he gets a free pass because of his condition. And housing benefit isn't being saved as he has a place with his sister.