Benefits virgin in need of help

[happyonmyown1000]

Hi there

I'm in need of help navigating the benefits minefield. I'm newly single and living in rented accommodation with my 12 year old DD. I have low earnings and I qualify for universal credit. However I have a house that I moved out of and is still lived in by my ex husband. The house is mortgaged but there is a little bit of equity in it. My ex husband can't afford to pay me my share of the equity and we can't sell the house (it's been up for sale for 2 years). Does the equity I have in the house affect my entitlement to Universal credit? ...... hope someone can help, I'm really confused by it all and living on £200 a month desperately in need of financial help.

Thank you.

As far as I'm aware equity In a matrimonial home isn't counted as savings re. benefits.

Thanks for replying. I'm really
lost with all of this and don't know who to ask. X

They will disregard it for a certain length of time as long as reasonable efforts are being made to sell it. If there is little equity in it anyway it wont affect your capital amount. They may query why you aren't living in it and they are paying you help towards rent ??

Make sure you claim council tax relief as well as UC as it’s a separate benefit

If you’re not living in the ex marital home make sure you’re not named in the council tax

Thanks. I'll check that I'm not still named I have claimed my 25% discount.

The way I understand it I'm not entitled to UC because I have equity in another property.

It looks like I'll be loosing my job in the next 2-3 months and I won't be entitled to claim if this happens. I'll have to move back in with my ex but even then he'll expect money towards the bills which I won't be able to afford because I won't be entitled to benefits there either, it goes on household income. I really don't know what to do.

You can still claim Uc if you lose your job. You can claim if you own half a house, it can be disregarded for 6 months ( or sometimes more I think) as long as reasonable efforts are being made to sell it. It is possible to claim Uc if you did have to move back in with him but it may be tricky, you would have to prove all your finances are separate etc.

2 years on the market very much suggests that ''reasonable'' efforts aren't being made to sell the house and it's clearly overpriced, any property anywhere in the UK in the current market WILL sell a lot quicker than that if it's on at a sensible and realistic price.

Have you done a benefits calculator online such as entitled to. This might help. Council tax benefit is as well as the 25% discount so apply for this as well.

Oh Council tax benefit is on top of the 25% discount, I didn't realise, thank you.

Yes the house is probably overpriced but how do you you force your ex to sell at a price he doesn't want to sell at without getting solicitors involved. I can't afford a solicitor!

You need to make it more difficult for your ex to block the sale of your house op, otherwise you and your dd will be subsiding him for life.
I would move back in personally.

No real advice, just sympathy. I'm in same position five years later, because he won't sell, or engage in mediation to sort finances to get divorced. I can't afford solicitor to force him too. He's very happy sat in 4 bed house paying next to nothing on mortgage whilst I scrimp and struggle to pay extortionate rent. BUT I'm not having to live with him and that is priceless!!❤️

45andfine Absolutely feel your pain! What a crappy situation!! But like you say your mental health comes first. I stayed in the house with him for 2 years for financial reasons and didn't realise what damage it was doing to me until I moved out. Super skint but a lot happier!! ❤️

Hi op's

Three years after separating from my ex, who is a narcissist/psychopath. I am still trying to fight to get what's mine. Meanwhile he's living in the family home with his new girlfriend playing happy families with my dd (he didn't give a crap about our dd before the new girlfriend) and with no money worries whatsoever. I however find myself scrimping and saving to pay the rent on a flat and manage bills, food etc. I work full time (I know I'm lucky to have a job at the moment) but all of my income goes towards living costs.
Now that my ex has a new girlfriend who enjoys having my daughter there with her and my ex, they have decided that they would like to have her more of the time. So now he has my daughter and my money (tied up in the house).
I can't afford a solicitor and mediation won't cut it with him. He's an expert in deceit and manipulation.
Can anyone offer advice on how people like me can raise funds to afford a solicitor in order to fight for what is rightfully there's?

I will be making for absolute sure that my DD does not end up in a relationship with a narcissist. I can definitely give her that gift.

You can often get a free half an hour with a solicitor. You need the legal advice really. Have you filed for divorce? Is the house in joint names? Is there any equity in it? Is he paying maintenance?

Forgot to say that it's worth starting a new thread on the relationship board as there are many people in your situation that have been through this and there are legal bods on there too.

Thankyou lightsabre . I realised I'd posted on the wrong thread! I'll post on relationships. Xx