Here today gone tomorrow!

Even though this is my first time of writing on eyeonspain I have been on reading things in the past.

I have lived in Spain for five years surviving on various jobs but now I just can not find any work. Because of this I am thinking of returning to the U.K. I do own my house here and intend on selling it. If I do, how will this affect me on my return? Will I not be entitled to any kind of benefits if I can not find a job? If I do not sell will they be able to trace back that I still own a property? Any help would be most appreciated.

Dunga

Sorry to hear about your problems here.  It is very tough here work wise at the moment and so many are now heading home.

Selling your property will be an issue anyway, as I'm sure you're aware.  You will have to sell lower than may be ideal.

If you did manage to sell the property, my understanding is that in the UK you don't get benefits if you have over a certain amount in savings.  I think its 6,000 pounds but I'm not totally sure about that.

If you still have your property in Spain and return to the UK, I don't think that is classed as "savings" so I wouldn't have thought they would take that into account.  If anything the property in Spain would be more of a liability!

That's about as much as I think I know!

Justin

Hi Dunga - I don't know the full picture but just this week I sent an email on behalf of one of my sellers to her local housing officer in the UK.  My client didn't give me all the details but said that if she could prove that her house here was worth less than £85,000 then she could claim benefits - I am assuming Housing Benefit? 

You will find that the rules for different benefits set different levels of savings but if you go back with a decent amount of money from a house sale then you will not get any means tested benefits.

Houses here in the southern Costa Blanca are selling and we are very busy - BUT they need to be really low priced before we can even get viewings.  Even then we are still getting offers of 20 - 25% below an asking price that was already 50% of what the owners bought them for!

If you are able to price your property correctly - assuming you don't have negative equity - then there are lots of buyers out there now.

If you are reluctant to go back and hope to return some day, have you considered trying to let your house instead?

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

this story and the responses would seem to be in agreement with the daily mail scaremongering article.

I come across many in this same situation and estate agents saying to get viewings and to sell you must almost give the property away.

These are difficult and challenging times.

Dear All,

I suppose if we were a truly integarted EU thenthe best solution would be to leave you where you are and send you some subsistence until things improve. Much better than sending winter fuel payments to be wasted.

Faro has pointed out more than once how bad things are when you sell in Spain so it seems if it is avoidable by letting that would be a good solution.

Doubtless your income from this would be considered but it would have to be proved and definite which may be after all costs and certainty.

There is a squeeze on benefits here so things may change but I believe housing benefit savings level are around £16,000 but that can be checked on the UK.Gov website.

In any event I am pretty sure that house equity is treated with some allowance concerning time to sell etc.

Such a shame but good luck.

Regards

Norman

Dear All,

found this on Moneysavingexpert.com.............

Are you eligible?

Unsurprisingly the social security system is a nightmare of complexity, so it's impossible to easily summarise exactly who's eligible for payments. Yet it is easy to say who should check; cash may be available for anyone in one or more of the following groups.

• Those with dependent children and a family income less than £58,000, or £66,350 if you have a baby under 1, a disabled child or a large family and you spend a lot on childcare .
• Those without children in work earning less than £16,190.
• Those who are out of work.
• Anyone with an illness or disability.
• Carers, guardians, recent parents and the over sixties.

For a full and detailed guide to Tax Credits (money from the state to support those with children or in work but with a low income) see the Tax Credit guide. Plus those with kids, ensure you're not missing help with childcare costs. 100,000s of working parents are missing out on £1,000s of cash, see the Childcare Costs guide for full info.

Regards

Norman