There's a scam on the go just now whereby a couple, who have bought their council house at a discount, then claim to have split up. The wife then claims to be homeless and she and the kids are allocated a council house. They then sell their bought house at a vast profit, then get back together living in the council house but with a nice big fat bank balance.
It's a legal loop-hole which is supposed to be on the point of being closed.
As someone once said, wherever money is involved there's an opportunity for someone to cash in,