Owning home claiming disability benefits

Hankhomas49
Hankhomas49 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
edited April 2022 in Benefits and income
I'm currently on pip ,sdp and ESA
I have several health issues that prevent me from working.
With rents sky rocketing a family member has said they will buy me a house 
But as I am unable to work I wanted to know if I could claim benefits if I owned a house
I don't have any savings or money so are reliant on benefits
Many thanks

Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited April 2022
    Owning a house you live in will not affect ESA (including SDP) or PIP. If you currently get Housing Benefit to help with rent that will stop. You will be able to claim Council Tax Reduction.

    Can you afford to maintain a house?
  • Hankhomas49
    Hankhomas49 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Possibly not as I don't have any money apart from benefits I receive the rents are so high and landlord is wanting to put rent up so would have to move out of local area
  • Hankhomas49
    Hankhomas49 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Wouldn't a house be classed as capital for means tested benefit
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    When you rent you have no other costs to maintain your home. 
    When you own your home there’s so many other costs involved. It’s not as easy as someone buying you a house. 
  • Hankhomas49
    Hankhomas49 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    But you can own a house and claim disability benefits the main issue for me is mobility and that's why my family wanted to keep me close by.
    As it very difficult to rent in local area
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You can own a house and continue with all your benefits, apart from housing benefit. It's just the cost to maintain that house.
  • Hankhomas49
    Hankhomas49 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Thank you for the replies 🙂
  • Hankhomas49
    Hankhomas49 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    So would they be able to buy it out right and gift it to me what would be process to go forward with this
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited April 2022
    Hankhomas49 said:
    Wouldn't a house be classed as capital for means tested benefit
    As advised, if you live in it then it is ignored.
    Hankhomas49 said:
    So would they be able to buy it out right and gift it to me what would be process to go forward with this
    For benefits purposes yes they could (although there may be tax implications for them - not my area of knowledge).
  • ShirleyW
    ShirleyW Online Community Member Posts: 353 Empowering
    edited April 2022
    The house you live in does not count as capital for any means tested benefits. 

    Many people can and do own their own home whilst receiving means tested benefits. 

    Myself and my husband have done so for many years since he became disabled.

    There are many grants available for things like replacement boilers etc.  You may not be able to decorate as often as you would like but careful management and budgeting will help.

    If the home your family buy for you is fully modernised with up to date equipment it will be many years before any repairs need doing.

    I found that putting a small amount of money on one side for repairs every month helped. 

    You will need to insure the property but basic buildings insurance is not very expensive.   Certainly it is much cheaper than contents insurance. 

    The peace of mind in having your own property which is suitable for you and where you want to live is worth a lot.

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