Making gifts to benefit recipients
ruthiebusybee
Member
Hi all
The situation is here is a very feel-good one, not a tax dodging/money grabbing one, our client, who is doing very well and feels very fortunate for it, would like to help out a struggling family member (cancer, young children, horrible situation), by paying their mortgage for them for 3-4 years.
The complication is that the recipients are on state benefits, including universal credit and receive support from a benevolent fund too.
We've pondered a lump sum gift - but this would breach the means testing limits for savings, and we've wondered about a monthly gift, but would DWP consider this an income as it's longer term? Same with the benevolent fund. We wondered about an interest free loan, with monthly payments out, but similarly would DWP consider this income in their means testing?
Does anyone know if there is a way for our client to do this, without compromising the support they already receive from DWP and the charity? I will call CAB to ask too.
Many thanks
Ruth
Ruth Baker
Comments
I would arrange to make the payments direct to the mortgage lender.