Do "savings" include your DWP payment for that period?

Aella · February 10

In theory we're allowed to have £5500 in savings before we have to start declaring it, right? And £6K before our benefits start getting cut. Does this include your next payment from the DWP? If I am expecting my monthly £500 payment then does this mean I need to make sure my savings actually stay below £5K, because once my monthly payment enters my bank account it will take me up to the limit?

OverlyAnxious · February 10

Yes that's right. All money in the account is classed as savings (capital) so the overall figure always has to remain below the threshold.

calcotti · February 10

The money you receive is income for the period it is received. Any money unspent at the end of the period becomes capital.

LiamWarren · February 10

Convert unspent monies into cash.

LiamWarren · February 10

You can also buy Gold and Silver, its VAT free and not subject to Capital Gains Tax.

woodbine · February 10

LiamWarren said:

You can also buy Gold and Silver, its VAT free and not subject to Capital Gains Tax.

But the value of gold and silver can go up and down, so not always the best investment.

LiamWarren · February 10

True. It's a risk.

Aella · February 11

calcotti said:

The money you receive is income for the period it is received. Any money unspent at the end of the period becomes capital.

do you have a source for this? Because other people said the opposite?

calcotti · February 11

This is the reference for UC
ADM Chapter H1 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

H1050 Income becomes capital if it has not been spent by the end of the assessment period after the one in which it was received.

Decision Makers Guide for legacy benefits has similar clauses. Here for example in respect of ESA
DMG Chapter 52: Capital (publishing.service.gov.uk)

When income becomes capital
52050 Income other than earnings becomes capital after the end of the period it is payable for.

In general money is either income or capital not both at the same time. In your situation if you have money in your accounts which is £5700 and then receive £500 for a 4 week period and spend that money within the 4 weeks your capital is £5700. If you only spend £450 then your capital at the end of the 4 weeks has increased to £5750.
The DMG chapter referenced above includes an example:

On 2 February Cath makes a claim for ESA. She has £7,550 in a bank account. This includes a month’s occupational pension of £250 which Cath received on 30 January. The DM decides that Cath has capital of £7,300 because her occupational pension payment of £250 has not become capital. On 16 February Cath withdraws £320 from her bank account to pay her car insurance. There is no evidence of any other withdrawals since 2 February. The DM decides that Cath has spent her occupational pension payment of £250 and that her capital has reduced by £70 to £7,230.

Aella · February 11

So if someone has, say £5400 in a savings account and then they get their monthly 500 ESA/PIP paid into their bank account, so in total they own £5900,they don't have to declare to the DWP that they're now over the £5500 savings limit at which savings need to be declared, because £500 of that isn't counted as savings? Because other sources say "Savings for the DWP include any amount of money that can be accessed relatively easily or financial products can be sold. Examples of savings include: Cash and money in a bank account"

calcotti · February 11

I don't consider so. In essence the money you need to meet your regular expenditure to sustain yourself is not capital.

Do "savings" include your DWP payment for that period?

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