UC and buying a home

[Newhome2]

My relationship broke down and as a result we have sold the family home as I could not afford the mortgage on my own. I began to receive UC at this stage.
The house has sold and I have received just over £16k from the sale. I am sale agreed on a smaller house and am awaiting my mortgage offer- this 16k will all go towards the deposit (I’m in NI so this will cover it). I have no other savings apart from this.

I am aware that any savings above 6k must be declared and any savings over 16k mean you aren’t entitled to claim UC.

I have read that savings intended to purchase a home to live in can be disregarded for 6 months and not included in my benefits calculation as long as I can show I am using it to purchase a home.

Has anyone any experience of this? I’m starting to panic that I will lose my UC which I do need for me and my children but obviously in 2/3 months I will no longer have those savings and didn’t have them before.

if you are already claiming universal credit then you need to report your change via your journal I’m sure they will tell you what evidence they will accept as proof of intention to buy a property.

I don't think you'll be eligible with that amount of savings, regardless of what it's for.

I think there are exceptions to the £16k rule, but I don't think a house deposit is one of them.

I thought money from the sale of a house that was earmarked for the purchase of a new house is ignored for UC purposeS for 6 months or such longer period as is reasonable
But yes check with them

@user1487194234

I thought money from the sale of a house that was earmarked for the purchase of a new house is ignored for UC purposeS for 6 months or such longer period as is reasonable But yes check with them

yes it is disregarded for 6 months and possibly longer I think.