Housing benefit & savings for grandchildren

Should be no issues for them anyway, i can withdraw from my sons savings anytime and it still wasnt included. I have a copy of my signed application form and it does not ask about childrens savings whether its in a trust fund or can withdraw from it anytime. If they added my sons to mine then i would know that once it reaches 6k i would need to report it. Because it wasnt asked for in the form or added to my capital then if my sons savings pushed it to 6k i shouldnt have to report it and i would argue that its not recoverable and have evidence to back me up.

kaym89 wrote: »

Should be no issues for them anyway, i can withdraw from my sons savings anytime and it still wasnt included. I have a copy of my signed application form and it does not ask about childrens savings whether its in a trust fund or can withdraw from it anytime. If they added my sons to mine then i would know that once it reaches 6k i would need to report it. Because it wasnt asked for in the form or added to my capital then if my sons savings pushed it to 6k i shouldnt have to report it and i would argue that its not recoverable and have evidence to back me up.

I think you've been lucky.

Children's savings do not count for housing benefit, that is why the form doesn't ask for them.

But you can't just say savings are for a child - if you own the capital then it is yours even if you have saved it for your children.

It depends on who is the legal and beneficial owner of the money. If you have full access to it, can withdraw it and there is no trust or other arrangement in place then you own the capital and it wouldn't count as children's savings.

It is also explained in this HB guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/365782/hbgm-bw1-assessment-of-capital.pdf

IQ

Its just a regular child savings account i opened for him as a baby had to provide his birh certificate when i opened it and can withdraw anytime. it says im trustee for it but has my sons name on it. I I did declare it because i did think it would have been included and to save my back if they questioned it in the future. If it ever reaches 6k in total and they do say something its likely an overpayment will be wiped off