Universal credit

[Becwi]

I have made a claim for universal credit, now I live alone I can’t simply afford to pay rent never mind anything else.

they have said that as I put my name on my retired father’s mortgage I wouldn’t be able to claim due to my equity. I have not paid anything into the property it was purely for him to be able to get a mortgage.

can someone help me with next steps, if anything?

Unfortunately it doesn’t matter that you haven’t paid anything into it, your name is on it which means legally a % of it is yours.

This. It's never really recommended to do that or at least if you do, you should take good legal advice. Imagine if you had married then divorced and your ex came after half your dads house.

If you can't pay rent could you at least move in with your dad? Being as the only reason he has it is because of you?

How old is your dad?

83

Is your name on the house deeds as a joint owner?
Owning the house and being on the mortgage are slightly different things.

he is 83 and lives in 1 bedroom flat

Then UC should disregard the value of the property. Did you tell them his age?

I’m waiting for a call back, they are aware he’s retired.

Is the flat in your joint names? This is important.

The mortgage is

Here are the regs @Becwi . The value of yhe property will be disregarded as long as you dad lives there.

Regulation 48
SCHEDULE 10
Capital to be disregarded
Premises
1.—(1) Premises occupied by a person as their home.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph and paragraphs 2 to 5, only one set of premises may be treated as a person's home.

1. Premises occupied by a person's former partner as their home where the person and their former partner are not estranged, but living apart by force of circumstances, for example where the person is in residential care.

4.—(1) Premises that a person intends to occupy as their home where—

(a)the person has acquired the premises within the past 6 months but not yet taken up occupation;

(b)the person is taking steps to obtain possession and has commenced those steps within the past 6 months; or

(c)the person is carrying out essential repairs or alterations required to render the premises fit for occupation and these have been commenced within the past 6 months.

(2) A person is to be taken to have commenced steps to obtain possession of premises on the date that legal advice is first sought or proceedings are commenced, whichever is earlier.

1. Premises that a person has ceased to occupy as their home following an estrangement from their former partner where—

(a)the person has ceased to occupy the premises within the past 6 months; or

(b)the person's former partner is a lone parent and occupies the premises as their home.

1. Premises that a person is taking reasonable steps to dispose of where those steps have been commenced within the past 6 months.

Sorry, for some reason the relevant para vanished! Hang on.

I was literally about to say it was about partners

As above it should be disregarded under UC REgs 2013 Sch 10 Paragraph 2 as the father is past State Pension Age.

Ensure UC are made aware of Father's age and draw their attention to the disregard as above.

.

I will when they call me back, they’ve said should be responded by 6pm tomorrow

Thank you

Hope you get it all sorted with UC, OP.