Hi Exactly, we did this for all the right reasons, she is very happy, safe and comfortable and will hopefully be able to live there for the rest of her life now we are close enough to care for her. As you said if she is able to keep her pension credit, HB is not the end of the world and maybe they will view it sympathetically. Thanks again for all your advice Regards Jean

Hi Thanks for your reply on the pension credit, i feel better about that at least. She has be granted a full council tax rebate on the bungalow, but you are right I am sure that in due course they will query it Regards Jean

HI Assuming the advisor at pension credit is correct he said that if she still qualifies for her pension credit she is automatically exempt from council tax so I guess we just keep our fingers crossed. I have already advised pension credit of her new address and they sent her award notice there, bearing in mind she doesnt have to declare capital would you still tell them her old house has sold or not? Your help is much appreciated Regards Jean

Hello again I have spoken to pension credits today, although I did not quote my mums details, the advisor told me that as mum is over 80 and her guaranteed pension credit includes an 'indefinite assessed income period' then pension credit are not interested in her capital, he even said that if she inherited money or won the lottery she need not tell them....as it would make no difference. Sounds a bit too good to be true and in a bit of a dilemma as to if I should tell them or not! What are your thoughts Many thanks for your help Regards Jean

Hi Many thanks for your advice, mum's name is not on the title deeds but we would be happy to put it on if you think it would help our case, we understand that she will not continue to receive any further help toward the mortgage interest, and we are not asking for any increased benefits, just to keep the pension credit and council tax rebate? Regards Jean

Hi Thanks for your reply, mum does receive some help with interest on the 10k mortgage she currently has, until the sale goes through. The proceeds of the sale of mums house will not cover the costs of the new bungalow, works completed on it and legal fees etc. we will be left with a small mortgage which we will cover between the three of us. The bungalow will be in mine and my brothers name, there was no alternative as mum could not raise the money to buy it. We are not trying to claim any increase in benefit but just keep her the same pension credit and council tax benefit she receives now. Thanks for taking the time to reply - much appreciated Regards Jean

Hello I wonder if anyone else has been in a similar situation or can give any advice. My 84 year old mum has lived all her life in what was our family home, she had a small mortage of 10k and was in receipt of pension credit and council tax benefit. As her health was starting to suffer my brother and myself made the decision to raise a mortgage and buy her a small bungalow so that she could be near us and we could take care of her. Mum would never have stood the stress of selling her home first so we bought the bunglalow, did some necessary alterations to it and moved her in. We then put mums house up for sale, we were lucky enough to sell quickly and we should complete at the end of the month. The proceeds of the sale will be sufficient to pay of the mortgage my brother and I have on the bungalow although there will still be about 10k left on the mortage in the end. I am concerned that DWP may look at this as deprivation of capital and mum will lose her pension credit, although this is certainly not the case and the only possible way the move could be made, Can anyone advise - many thanks