is the one off £500 considered a cost of living payment hence indefinitely disregarded as capital

blacklight

So basically my question is, is the one off £500 considered a cost of living payment hence indefinitely disregarded as capital for UC?

"The government is making Cost of Living Payments to claimants on certain benefits including Universal Credit. The Cost of Living Payment is disregarded for Universal Credit capital purposes indefinitely"

This is taken from below

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-one-off-500-payment-for-working-households-receiving-tax-credits

And

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2023-0365/025_Capital_disregards_V22-0.pdf

And

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/26/part/1/crossheading/coronavirus-support-payments-etc

And

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/treasury-direction-made-under-section-76-of-the-coronavirus-act-2020/the-coronavirus-act-2020-functions-of-her-majestys-revenue-and-customs-covid-19-support-scheme-working-households-receiving-tax-credits-direction

So it says it's not taxable (which if I understand correctly means it wouldn't affect Tax Credits) but isn't explicitly excluded from counting for means-tested benefits. Which would make sense if that is the case, as anything unspent from the corresponding UC uplift became capital for claimants.

So please can someone tell me if the £500 one off payment is also indefinitely excluded as capital UC purposes and any legislation to back that up and if its also considered as a col payment as ofcourse COL there is legislation which clearly states as above that COL payments are indefinitely excluded as capital for UC purposes.

Thanks

Carpy

That’s from 2021

blacklight

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1030448#Comment_1030448

Thanks yes it is however may still be indefinitely disregarded