How often can I take lump sums without them affecting my New Style ESA?

Aztec123

To Poppy, I see you mentioned that taking lump sums from pensions won't affect my New Style ESAC but how often can I take these lump sums? I know I can't take them regularly, as in every month or so, or they will be classed as regular payments or periodical payments. If I take a lump sum once or twice a year, would that be disregarded ?

calcotti

See
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/890802/admv1.pdf

Periodical payments and lump sums

V1071 Periodical payments are those that are paid at regular intervals.

V1072 A lump sum payment is not a periodical payment. This applies even where the claimant has chosen to receive a lump sum instead of a periodical payment. But where

1. a person is entitled to a lump sum payment and

2. the rules of the scheme allow the lump sum to be paid in instalments and

3. the person chooses to receive it in this way

the instalments are periodical payments.

Regular intervals is ‘not defined’.