Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To use benefits to put down a deposit for a house

435 replies

Bringinglightandpeace · 28/01/2022 14:08

Hello all,

This thread is not about me.

I have a friend who is feeling incredibly guilty. This is how it goes... so she applied for benefits, she has children and a husband,,, well technically partner but anyway she received a huge backlog of benefits. She confided in me that she would like to use the money to to put down a deposit for a help to buy scheme or shared ownership. I told her "well you have to use every opportunity that you can get" but in my conscience, I was thinking, is this right? I am on benefits myself so not judging at all. She feels a bit down about it as it's not her hard on money that she used to put a deposit down..but then again some parents give their children money for a deposit... so I guess it's similar.

However, I feel a bit of itch and thought to myself that I don't think what she is doing is right. But then again, I don't want to come across as jealous. What do you all think?

OP posts:
grey12 · 29/01/2022 09:55

@Agrudge of course people do it, they aren't stupid 🤦🏻‍♀️ the problem is you shouldn't be allowed!!

Council housing is for people who don't have money! Not for people who can pay for a (ok, cheaper but still...) house Hmm especially since there are so many homeless people!!! It's disgraceful! If there were absolutely NO homeless people, sure Wink but that's not the case

Dishwashersaurous · 29/01/2022 09:57

True. Although it's possible to claim pip and work full time, depending on the nature of the disability.

Cuddlemequick · 29/01/2022 09:58

@grey12 Council housing is literally for people who can pay for a cheaper house. It's not free?

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/01/2022 10:00

@Fr0thandBubble I work, thank you very much. I get working tax credits to help pay childcare costs as a single parent. No, I am not particularly grateful that childcare is so expensive that I have to claim tax credits.

Dishwashersaurous · 29/01/2022 10:01

And it's move to UC when it's a change of circumstances as well

Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/01/2022 10:02

@sst1234 I work, thank you. It's not a privilege that I'm paid so little that I have to claim working tax credits as a single parent. I'm not raging against anyone but I'm not going to be "grateful" to wealthy people. I work as hard as anyone.

misssunshine4040 · 29/01/2022 10:05

@Fr0thandBubble what a repugnant attitude.

You belong in the Victorian era.

It's not your (top rate tax payers) hard earned money is it. It's everyone's.

Repulsive privileged attitude

Bringsexyback · 29/01/2022 10:07

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken
My friend suffered an injury during his time in the army and will be on pip for life, he also works full time so much miss information around

misssunshine4040 · 29/01/2022 10:08

@caringcarer

The reason the government cannot pay legitimate claimants more money is because scummy people make fraudulent claims and effectively steal from the pot of money for genuine claimants. I would have no hesitation in reporting her.
It's not the reason at all though is it.

They chose not to. They chose to make it near impossible for those to break out the "lifestyle"

We are beyond rich as a nation. You think they really give less benefits because some people fraud this system?

I can't get my head round some of the ideas on here

Bringsexyback · 29/01/2022 10:10

@sst1234 I get more free money for doing nothing out of my stocks and shares Isa than I ever got in benefits 🤣🤣

Fearnyleaves · 29/01/2022 10:10

[quote grey12]@Agrudge of course people do it, they aren't stupid 🤦🏻‍♀️ the problem is you shouldn't be allowed!!

Council housing is for people who don't have money! Not for people who can pay for a (ok, cheaper but still...) house Hmm especially since there are so many homeless people!!! It's disgraceful! If there were absolutely NO homeless people, sure Wink but that's not the case[/quote]
Do you honestly think people living in council houses don't pay for it?

grey12 · 29/01/2022 10:11

[quote Cuddlemequick]@grey12 Council housing is literally for people who can pay for a cheaper house. It's not free?[/quote]
It's for people who can't afford private rent Hmm if you can pay for a cheap house you can pay the extra bit for private rent and allow someone poorer than you to live in that cheaper rent house. Is this too challenging to understand?

The government allows people to buy these house because of votes. But it's a disgraceful practice since there is a waiting list for people waiting for council housing. Like I said, it there wasn't, cool!

girlmom21 · 29/01/2022 10:14

if you can pay for a cheap house you can pay the extra bit for private rent and allow someone poorer than you to live in that cheaper rent house.

My friend but a house with a £350 mortgage because she couldn't afford to private rent.

My parents are entitled to buy their council property at a very reduced rate because they've lived there for so long. They're considering using a private pension to buy it because in the grand scheme of things it makes financial sense. They couldn't afford private rent

Agrudge · 29/01/2022 10:16

What about the people who need cheaper rent so they can afford to save for a deposit to buy a house?

My rent is around £500 in H.A property . If I rent privately or would be around £800-£900 . Thtas 300-400 less I'm able to save .

Mrstamborineman · 29/01/2022 10:18

If she’s been honest and awarded fairly it makes more sense in the long run doesn’t it to buy somewhere?

youvegottenminuteslynn · 29/01/2022 10:21

@Mrstamborineman

If she’s been honest and awarded fairly it makes more sense in the long run doesn’t it to buy somewhere?
Unfortunately OP has confirmed her friend is actually committing benefit fraud.
Agrudge · 29/01/2022 10:22

@Mrstamborineman

If she’s been honest and awarded fairly it makes more sense in the long run doesn’t it to buy somewhere?
It wasn't awarded fairly her partner lives with her but she didnt declare it when applying for benifits
grey12 · 29/01/2022 10:22

@Agrudge

What about the people who need cheaper rent so they can afford to save for a deposit to buy a house?

My rent is around £500 in H.A property . If I rent privately or would be around £800-£900 . Thtas 300-400 less I'm able to save .

Yes, sign me up for that!!!! Trust me I don't exactly LOVE living with my inlaws in order to save for a deposit Hmm

But I understand that other people are poorer than me and need the cheaper rent to be able to have a roof over their heads, isn't that the idea of council housing?

HoliHormonalTigerlilly · 29/01/2022 10:30

@Bringinglightandpeace

No she has not been honest. She lives in a private rented accommodation but receives housing benefit. She has not told the council that her spouse lives with her as he has a high multitude of debts and she is concerned that he wouldn't pay the rent.
If she has lied then she is committing fraud.

Is it a disability benefit?

Agrudge · 29/01/2022 10:31

Atleast you've got that option to live with someone else

We dont have that option , and I don't feel any guilt for paying low rent and neither should I.

woodhill · 29/01/2022 10:35

Another thread is about unsustainable pensions but at least people have paid N.I. Contributions for them

No wonder there is concern if so many people are defrauding benefit system.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 29/01/2022 10:36

@grey12

Trust me I don't exactly LOVE living with my inlaws in order to save for a deposit

So you are also living somewhere free / subsidised in order to save... it just happens to be with relatives?

You realise not everyone is lucky enough to be able to have family who will house them for free / less than market rate?

What a hypocrite you are.

Bringsexyback · 29/01/2022 10:44

@grey12 i pay £900 a month in private rental next to train track’s that wake up and my son up at 4am every day.

Life in private rentals is absolutely shit

Fr0thandBubble · 29/01/2022 10:53

[quote misssunshine4040]@Fr0thandBubble what a repugnant attitude.

You belong in the Victorian era.

It's not your (top rate tax payers) hard earned money is it. It's everyone's.

Repulsive privileged attitude [/quote]
It is my money! I earned it and I give it to the government who distribute a large portion of it to people on benefits! As do other net contributors!

Why shouldn’t benefit recipients feel grateful? I am very grateful for the free state education and NHS care and child benefit my family got when I was a child - because I know that that was paid for by other people.

I don’t have a disgusting “privileged” attitude - you have a disgusting entitled attitude.

Adylans · 29/01/2022 11:00

Social housing isn’t even necessarily that cheap my rents over £700 a month for a 2 bed HA flat, it’s hardly free