£100k + Universal Credit?

[NeverGoingToGiveYouUpButIMayLetYouDown]

I want to claim UC as I am no longer able to work due to a progressive illness.

Husband and I are divorcing. I owed him money, from a verbally-agreed loan between us both, so I transferred money to him three months ago. Plus, some of his savings were in my account, so I also transferred this back to him three months ago.

Will Universal Credit look unfavourably at all this - that I transferred £100k to him, and have very little (less than £16k) left over for myself? I have never claimed benefits before, so I am nervous this will be seen as deprivation of capital, despite occuring prior to me making a claim.

How were you going to pay back the loan?

Anyway - just see a solicitor. When people share the raising of children - which involves both providing direct care and paying for them. - as you and your husband did, they typically split assets upon divorce to reflect that.

And I don't believe that anyone would self fund a total of 100K for private cancer treatement in the UK as theres really no need. Or if this guy did for some reason, he's clearly loaded and the OP should be expecting a lot more than 850 a month and has no need for UC.

You literally said ‘no cancer treatment’.

What a croc of shit 🙄🙄

Surely a verbal agreement unless recorded can not be proven either way so I’d imagine the DWP will have a hard time buying it. However that’s just my theory, certainly doesn’t mean I’m correct.

Why did you just do what he told you to do

If you want a benefit and have a serious illness maybe disability benefit is best for you.

OP, please please please get your own legal representation in respect of your financial settlement with your husband. You urgently need independent advice. On the face of it the proposed settlement does not sound at all fair to you.

Lies on top of lies

Sounds like you need a SHL (shit hot lawyer) for your divorce.....
In case the Mount Vernon hospital you mention is the one near me, I'll PM you the website for the lawyer I used for my divorce, I thought she was excellent and I now wish I'd taken all of her advice (I folded on some things in the end as I just wanted it to be over but I regret that now)
Good luck.

I think OP is using AI to make her sound more convincing

Can I ask a conterversial question? Have you worked? Paid national insurance? Why do you assume you are eligible for uc?
No judgement but curious & amazed. Good luck

You can tell from the opening sentence that she has worked.

@Naanspiration

I agree. Very odd use of language.

3 months ago, my husband said 'You are to return every penny of mine in your accounts, including the XYZ I lent you for medical treatment'.

I am a hypochondriac, so when I got serious symptoms at the end of last year, it sent me into a spiral and thus, he agreed to lend me money. I now realise this wasn't as charitable as he made out. The money was untouched, unmoved and unused as I was seen on the NHS within a week.

What is so difficult to believe about that?

I am not a muppet as someone so unkindly put it. Both of us had these conversations about UC and the settlement infront of the joint rep solicitor who did not say a peep out of turn against my husband. Surely, the solicitor would have said funds in a marriage are shared - despite my belief that as he was earning it all, it belongs to him. In effect, he was temporarily dumping it in my account. Marriage allowance exists for tax advantages which we did previously.

In the case of money being shared, I should have access to half of his personal (multiple!) ISAs and savings, which was never ever brought up in our appointments by our joint solicitor. My husband is wealthy. I do not need UC if what was shared on here is correct - I may never need it if I have access to even one half of one of his pensions.

Get your own solicitor. Please.

I'm glad you are getting your own solicitor.
Just to add, in case it hasn't already been mentioned, if your ex did pay you £850 a month ( hopefully this won't happen and you'll get a clean break agreement) this would be deducted £ for £ from UC.

I'm looking at it as "dodgy" and I don't work for the dwp. Unless you can prove you owed the money and he had the savings in your bank, I think they won't look favourably.

You need to stop listening to what your DH is telling you. He's only looking out for himself. Do NOT tell him anything your new solicitor tells you. Keep your cards close to your chest, you cannot trust your DH. He's trying to screw you over.

I wonder whether OP is Muslim and being divorced under Sharia law?? Weird assumption. Sorry if I'm way off the mark here .... But the comment on her not being aware that half of marital assets are hers in a divorce is odd if she isn't from a different culture??

OP, it is not ethical for the same lawyer to act for both parties to a divorce because of the inherent conflict of interest i.e. it would be impossible for the lawyer to give you both impartial advice. However, some firms offer a "one couple, one lawyer" or "Resolution Together" model where a single solicitor guides a divorcing couple through an amicable process, but this is only suitable if there is no conflict and requires full transparency and collaboration from both parties. Given your rather passive attitude to your divorce it seems your STBX has easily convinced this solicitor that this approach is suitable for your situation - and, of course, because you're agreeing to all your STBX's demands (including giving up your share of the house FFS!) it seems that it is. Unfortunately, you are about to be MASSIVELY MUGGED OFF BY YOUR STBX UNLESS YOU WISE UP! PLEASE tell this solicitor you didn't realise that this "Resolution Together" approach was being used for your divorce, that it is not appropriate and that you need to get your own solicitor - and then do so.
And why on earth do you think a solicitor would know anything about benefits like UC? It has nothing whatsoever to do with their job.

Your XH has really taken advantage of your illness here OP. When you were at your most vulnerable he manipulated you into a divorce settlement whiich is very much in his favour. Get a better lawyer & fight for your fair & lawful share. He may have earned it but who was looking after the DC & facilitating him earning the big bucks? Is the new partner an affair partner? Hes moved on fast. What a horrible man. Hope you find the strength to fight fie your money.

What did you think the point of a legal marriage was if not to pool your assets so everything was shared OP?

Get a new lawyer. Contact the old one to say you were misled about shared representation. Tell the Ex NOTHING until you have consulted a lawyer.

Oh my God, I genuinely feel awful for you. I'm so angry on your behalf.

Fuck your husband and this joint solicitor.

I am sooo glad you're getting your own solicitor - PLEASE definitely do this.

You say there was no abuse of any kind, well I'm sorry but this guy is absolutely a nasty piece of work, and was at the very least financially abusing you.

I can't believe what I've just read.

DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM.

You'll need to sort out getting half the assets in the divorce then ideally putting it on a house deposit before claiming UC. They won't help with your mortgage but you may still qualify for some other money depending on children/income.