How long after spending inheritance can I claim benefits again?

[Bunnyhunni6]

Hello, after buying my new house I’m left with around £60k to spend on what is needed work wise… I had to come off benefits when I inherited. But after my money has been spent I will need to claim again.. how long do I need to wait to be able to claim? Thank you

Indeed. Take the high road, as they say. It's tough, especially when you see how our taxes are spen, though.

Asylum seekers aren't entitled to any benefits. They become entitled to benefits if/when they get refugee status.

And herein lies the problem. So it’s ok for OP to use some of her inheritance on a week’s holiday for a family of 4 to Spain which will reduce her inheritance and get her back on benefits quicker. Whichever way you slice and dice this, us tax payers are paying for her holiday. I haven’t had one for 4 years as I can’t afford one. I work and pay tax.

Make this make sense.

They do not ask people to sell their homes, ffs! Even the DWP draw the line at making people homeless.

A spare house you happen to have lying around counts as an asset though, and it will prevent you receiving means-tested benefits unless you can demonstrate that you are taking "reasonable steps" to sell it.

My kitchen is 31 years old. It's fine. Live with it

For everyone frothing about paying their taxes and NI supporting work shy freeloaders, there are many, MANY others facing real financial uncertainty.

If I don't find new employment quite soon I will need to claim benefits. I am not entitled to JSA (have paid T2 not T1 NI). I will receive about £1000 in benefits. This will need to cover my mortgage, all bills and support me and my son. If I still can't find decent work, go through my small savings, use my mortgage 'holiday' and/or interest only period I will need to sell my home. Yes, it's my asset, so fair enough, but I have a small mortgage and rent will be at least double. I will never get on the housing ladder again. I think there are far more people in that sort of situation than people trying to screw the system for an easy life.

There was a film in the 1980s called brewsters millions where the main character played by Richard Pryor had to spend 30 million pounds in 30 days or something ( with rules, so he couldn't just buy a house for example).
The modern version we could call benefit scroungers thousands.

Universal Credit have multiple fraud teams and they can look into all aspects of your life without your permission.

You can apply for benefits as soon as your capital drops below £16000 but once they start verifying that, they'll expect proof of what the money was spent on. A decision maker will then decide if it has been used for acceptable purposes.

If they decide that you have intentionally deprived yourself of that capital purposefully to claim benefits then you will treated as though you still have the money and not be entitled to benefits until the period is up that the money should have lasted you for.

Also, you would need to make a joint claim with your partner so his earnings will also be taken into consideration.

Personally, I think it would be easier to use the inheritance money to live off for a couple of months until you are settled and then get any job that you can to tide you over

It's easier to work than have stress hanging over you about being caught, then the criminal record, plus having to pay everything back that you have had

@ShanghaiDiva I am not confused about anything. Whichever way you look at it £60k is a considerable sum of money. There is no need for the OP to burn through it at any rate as she could look for a job in the new location. Thus having a regular income and £60k in savings.

You don't know her circumstances. The overwhelming majority of people on benefits either can't find a job, or are too unwell to work. They need support, not angry comments.

In what world is burning through £60k to get back on benefits a normal thing to do?

Because as I explained, £60k means your cash flow ceases. Having her benefits curtailed for a prolonged period of time means that she has no cashflow.

Would you not feel anxious if you did not have a cash flow, regardless of what you had saved?

I have a good bit more than £60k available to me as liquid assets - but sure as hell, if I lost my job tomorrow, I would be in a mad state of panic. Would you not be the same?

No, I don’t know the circumstances but from the posts OP had a job and also already has a house: she mentions selling up so already has an asset in addition to the inheritance. Op did not say she was too unwell to work, so what kind of support does she require? There also seems to be a partner.

Imo £60k in savings means that you have time to look for work and, although not having an income is very stressful, £60k buys quite a lot of time and it would seem prudent to spend wisely, rather than burn through money and upgrading a 30 year old kitchen would not be a priority. My situation is very different as our financial situation is very secure, but would still be prudent with spending in such a situation.

@ShanghaiDiva Imo £60k in savings means that you have time to look for work and, although not having an income is very stressful, £60k buys quite a lot of time and it would seem prudent to spend wisely

So I take it you haven't been job hunting recently? There are no jobs available. FInding a new job would take someone at least 2 - 3 years.

Would you be OK with £60k over the course of 2 - 3 years?

Really? Two to three years to find a job, what utter bollocks! My dd applied for jobs in May and was offered each job she applied for.
if I had £60k to last two years then I would make it work and not waste the money on renovations.

They will ask you how much you inherited and they will work out how long it would last you on benefits then tell you you can claim then- £60K it's going to be around 2035.

2-3 years to find a job?!!

I know! FFS!

What field? What jobs? Why did she keep applying for jobs after she had been offered one (or two or three).
Either way, surely you know that the job market is very tough at the moment.

Oh lovely. Nice bit of racism as well.

Is it so tough that it takes three years to get a job?
she applied for several jobs at the same time - normal procedure I would have thought when you are seriously looking for a job!

Maybe not 2 to 3 years, but it is quite unusual to be apply for, interview for and be offered all jobs you apply for in a single period.
And no, it takes me a couple of days (alongside my full time job and caring for my family) to properly apply for a job.
Good for her, most people get a few rejections before success, but you must know that if you listen to the news.

Get a job like the rest of us have to?

Do you need to upgrade the kitchen? Ours is nearly 30 years old. Perfectly serviceable

DM has a friend who inherited her neighbour's house (they were not related but very close and her getting the house was a surprise). She was on benefits as not able to work. She wanted to move into the house she inherited (bigger garden and better layout) so she sold hers. As soon as the money hit her bank account, her benefits stopped. The house she gained was a wreck... very neglected, and she rented a house in the same street until the work was done. It took about 9 months.
She had to keep all receipts etc from all the work that was done. She also bought herself a new car to replace her old banger. She spent all the proceeds from her house sale on her car, rent when the work was being done, and doing up her new home. Between her house selling and renting, she stayed in a hotel, so that was another cost too.
When she tried to claim benefits again, she was told it was all Deprivation of Capital.. but that was from someone at the job centre. She fought it, and won, and even got back pay.

Am not saying the same could happen to you... but make sure you keep all receipts etc. When you try and claim again, they will want to know where your money went.

Christ not only on a bike, but won the Tour de bloody France. I'm in a slight rage over this.

Already lost me at wanting to be known as "Bunnyhunni"🙄😡 and then "I had to COME OFF benefits when I inherited." Why are you on benefits at all, especially as your husband is working?

I don’t think this is what people are pissed off about. I think more the fact that she is planning to go back on benefits rather than trying to get a job. OP makes some vague comments about eventually looking, but I think the reality is she’s set on getting back on benefits…..sadly these types of self entitled people walk amongst us…in their millions.

Considering full time minimum wage is only around £25k and is taxed, yes £60k should be enough to last someone for this mythical 2-3 years to find a job. Especially when they have a partner also supporting them. but not living with them so they are entitled to benefits

There are jobs out there. They just might not be someone's ideal. That is life though and it is easier to find work when in work, so take less than perfect and keep looking for closer to perfect.