Housing Benifit

[sonia owen]

Hi All,
A friend has asked if I know anything about when the local council comes to do a financial assessment on her dad. They have not been to see them for over 5 year's now, so the housing benefit has just continued to be paid. They had a letter to say they are coming to do a well over due check up. My friend seem's to be very worried that in 2012 their dad gave them £6000 for her and husband to go and see their Son and family in Oz. It had been given because she had suffered a second brain aneurysm and a bleed in 2011. It was given as a gift as she had suffered a terrible time. She is now so concerned that the council could see this as some kind of deprivation of her dad's assets, but he wanted her to have it.
I don't know how to advice her on this one. Any help would be helpful Thanks
Love Sonia xxx

 

[jeany123]

From what I can remember on the form they just ask what capital you have they do not ask for proof so I think they will be ok and if they check I shouldn't think they will go back more than a couple of years,

 

[nitram]

Looking at
https://www.gov.uk/housing-benefit/eligibility
the capital criterion appears to be less than £16000 but check with the local Citizens Advice Bureau

 

[lexy]

deleted

 

[Suzanna1969]

Hi All,
My friend seem's to be very worried that in 2012 their dad gave them £6000 for her and husband to go and see their Son and family in Oz. It had been given because she had suffered a second brain aneurysm and a bleed in 2011. It was given as a gift as she had suffered a terrible time. She is now so concerned that the council could see this as some kind of deprivation of her dad's assets, but he wanted her to have it.

I have been told by a City Investment Manager (ex boyfriend actually but he should know what he's talking about) that a parent can give each child (regardless of age!) a tax free gift of £3000 per financial year and that, if this was not given the year before, it can be given in one sum of £6000 (but no more than that, even if a gift has never been made before) so your friend should be ok.