UC rules around moving house if buying and selling

[52andblue]

I have a house I own (with a mortgage) I'd like to move as it's no longer suitable.
I receive UC as I am a f/t Carer for my two young people who are disabled.
I am aware that savings of more than £6K reduces UC & more than 16K stops it.

As my young people are not likely to live independently (that I can see) we need our UC. So, if I sell my house for, say £100K then how long do I have to buy another for £100k (does it have to be exactly?) & is any allowance given for costs eg lawyers/estate agents/ moving costs/improvements/repairs new home?

I have asked on my UC journal page but, as usual, they just say: 'we cannot advise on potential changes. make the change, advise us & we will adjust accordingly'. So, jump & hope for the best? I cannot get a reply from my local CAB (basically shut down). The national CAB line is only for 'new enquiries'.

So, how do I find out? I 'd like to move as our current housing isn't very suitable now but maybe I just can't?

@MikeRafone THANK YOU: really helpful. I'm going to go through carefully.

I just know that I asked a few years back & had Council / NHS out & was told that it wasn't possible to improve access to house (cannot park at front, can at back but only access then via a basement with stairs) or fit a g/f shower at all.
The house is Victorian & listed. Because I 'own my house' (exH buggered off & left me with 'a roof' but it has a huge mortgage (& holes in it too) I can't apply for any more suitable social housing. I've been sort of managing (though my life is very limited as getting in/out of house is exhausting & I'm rural so shopping etc is a challenge) but I now have a Cardiac issue too so I'd rather move now if poss.

the market is tricky - prob best to find a best to find a new house and if offer accepted then put your house on market

Bookmarking for the links as I will be in the same predicament very soon. My house isn't disability friendly either.

It says “grant, loan or otherwise”, so the “otherwise” gives some flexibility there. I agree it’s not clear cut, and it would be nice to get certainty. But if they won’t give you advanced clearance I would claim a disregard on that basis, and ensure the work was done ASAP to minimise the amount of time you would be over the limit. What sort of amount are you expecting for adaptations? If it’s just ramps you should be able to get it in for under the £6k disregard, but if you need a wet room and hoist fitted that would be more.

Too late to edit, but I actually think I’m wrong. While the guidance is ambiguous, the legislation itself includes a requirement that the capital is obtained on condition it is used for adaptations or repairs https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/schedule/10

@AirborneElephant Thanks. I'm a bit confused. Does your 2nd link support the theory that capital used for essential repairs/adjustments within 6m IS okay?

Sorry, no it doesn’t. If you scroll down to para 15 the wording is as below. I think the phrasing “where that amount has been acquired by the person on condition that it is used for that purpose” implies that there needs to be a condition that restricts how you can use the money. To be honest if you have no choice but to keep aside money for adaptations I’d claim anyway as the guidance is what most of the staff will read, and disregard would certainly be in the spirit of using funds from a previous home to buy and adapt a new home. But if challenged I don’t think you’d win legally.
^^
15. An amount received within the past 6 months that is to be used for making essential repairs or alterations to premises occupied or intended to be occupied as the person's home where that amount has been acquired by the person (whether by grant or loan or otherwise) on condition that it is used for that purpose.