Buying a house

Client on IRESA wants to buy a house.  My first thought is that the move from HB to mortgage would punt him onto UC in a full-service area.

Assuming he surmounts the difficulty of getting a mortgage on benefits, is there anything in UC regs to stop him buying a house and claiming the UC housing costs loan?

I’m thinking about rules under legacy benefits re help being restricted to level of HB previously awarded - does that still exist under UC?

If he were to move into a full service area, he wouldn’t necessarily need to claim UC. He would just close his HB claim down, stay on ESA and ask ESA for LMI.

He could choose to claim UC if he wished.

He’s already in a full service area and would be looking to stay in the same area but if moving off HB and becoming liable for mortgage costs isn’t a trigger for a UC claim, that’s not so bad. Thanks