Private pension withdrawal limits on ESA, UC and PIP.

Hello.

Could anyone tell me if I am allowed to draw a lump sum from a small pension I have to pay my arrears on my fuel bill please.

I have got into difficulties with my energy bills , although I was on fuel direct but this has been cancelled because DWP has migrated me over to new style esa and UC.

I also get PIP allowance.

I have been making regular payments for arrears via stepchange. however something has gone wrong somewhere because apparently British gas has not getting meter reading for quite a while and my bills have been estimated for several months so British gas were unable to set up fuel direct again when it was cancelled because of this reason.

My balance ( if correct) is nearly £4,000 which I am unable to pay as obviously I haven't got and with my Fuel direct payments now stopped the stepchange payments have not been covering the Dept.

My question is I have small amount in a private pension £4,950 I didn't declare this when asked if I had any savings or income from a pension because It was my understanding that you are allowed £6,000 in savings before it will effect my benefits and I am not getting regular payments or drawing from it, it is just there until I reach pension age. I am 60 now.

I Just thought about it yesterday and wondered if I would be able to use this money to pay my energy arrears as it is a worry and it would solve my problems and help me a lot if I could do this.

Do I have to inform DWP if I draw £4,000 out to pay this bill . also because I have only Just moved across to UC and new esa will I get into trouble for not declaring it?. I wasn't trying to hide anything I Just didn't think I needed to because I wasn't planning on drawing anything from it . It is a old pension that I didn't realise I had until I reached 57 and they contacted me.

Everything has happened all at once and is a bit of a mess. Because I didn't declare it that is worrying me now too!

If anyone could tell me if I was to draw this money out would it effect my benifits and do I have to ask or inform DWP.

I am a bit hesitant to contact UC via the Journal as when I asked a question about fuel direct on there they were quite rude to me and told me the Journal was not for fuel Direct questions .

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.