Advice on being left money while on benefits please

RAGSTORICHES

We are on disability benefits my husband is my carer and we get Income Support.We have no savings and no debts.
Recently my father in law died, he had equity release on his house and it is going to probate which I understand can take a long time.We have been told that at the end of it all we may get anything up to £10,000.What is our position with benefits if this happens?
We own our bungalow outright but I am finding it really hard to breath at night as the bedroom is south facing with a conservatory and I am a chronic asthmatic.This money would enable us to move to somewhere that meets my needs more (not worth anymore than the bungalow we are in but to cover solicitors, surveyors and moving costs).But would we be allowed to use it for this?
Also I know you are allowed savings but would this inheritance be treated as savings?
I am worrying myself sick about all this before it even happens.Maybe one of you has had this happen to you and could advise please.My benefits are very important to me and I want to do everything properly.

Millburn_farm

I would have thought with the 2 of you £10,000 doesn't hit any bells at all and would be below the savings limit

when it comes to the selling and moving, keep every receipt, log every penny, the DHS will ask you to account for it all; they did when my Mum moved after her husband died

Paparika

Who is eligible?

You may be able to get Income Support if you're aged 16 to 59 and any of the following apply:

• you're a lone parent
• you're registered sick or disabled
• you're a student and either a lone parent or disabled
• you're caring for someone who's sick or elderly

and the following apply:

• you don't have savings of £16,000 or more
• you're not working, or work on average less than 16 hours a week

You may also be entitled to Income Support if you have a low income and:

• you're sick and your Statutory Sick Pay is less than the amount of Income Support you would be entitled to
• you or your partner or civil partner are not working because of parental leave
• you're on paternity leave

Between 2010 and 2020 the maximum age up to which men and women will be able to receive working age benefits will rise in line with the increase in women’s State Pension age from 60 to 65.








can you split the money to 5k each?

RAGSTORICHES

Paparika wrote: »

Who is eligible?

You may be able to get Income Support if you're aged 16 to 59 and any of the following apply:

• you're a lone parent
• you're registered sick or disabled
• you're a student and either a lone parent or disabled
• you're caring for someone who's sick or elderly

and the following apply:

• you don't have savings of £16,000 or more
• you're not working, or work on average less than 16 hours a week

You may also be entitled to Income Support if you have a low income and:

• you're sick and your Statutory Sick Pay is less than the amount of Income Support you would be entitled to
• you or your partner or civil partner are not working because of parental leave
• you're on paternity leave

Between 2010 and 2020 the maximum age up to which men and women will be able to receive working age benefits will rise in line with the increase in women’s State Pension age from 60 to 65.








can you split the money to 5k each?

Yes we could split money if and when it comes. I found after posting about £16,000 savings I didn't realise it was so much.But as I haven't actually saved it will it still class as savings? Sorry to sound so thick but we have never had any money to worry about before. Thanking both ops for answers.

Paparika

RAGSTORICHES wrote: »

Yes we could split money if and when it comes. I found after posting about £16,000 savings I didn't realise it was so much.But as I haven't actually saved it will it still class as savings? Sorry to sound so thick but we have never had any money to worry about before. Thanking both ops for answers.

Now that i really am not sure about... you might want to post this in the benefits section, thick, no course your not, your being careful and doing the right thing

Millburn_farm

When I inherited from my Dad/Step-mum it was classed as savings, I mean when you eventually get the cheque you will have to put it in the bank>

When you do the house moving (selling buying bit) I'd get your solicitor to hold the buyers money for the few days you might have before paying for your new house, or even the few hours, saves the DWP having to make a judgement on a cheque for all the money clearing through

Kazzea

Note of caution - the £16,000 is the most savings you can have before you will get nothing in Income support - however anything over £6000 and your income support starts to get decreased accordingly - I don;t know if you are allowed £6000 EACH or not as benfit entitlements for couples aren;t usually as simple and straightforward as this unfortunately

Mojisola

The £6000 to £16,000 range is for a household so having the money in separate accounts wouldn't make any difference. Don't worry about it - that's not going to help your health at all and your FiL wouldn't want his legacy to cause you problems.

If you do get £10,000, your IS may be reduced for a while but, by the time you've moved, you will probably be below the £6000 limit and will be able to get full benefits again. Keep records of all the expenditure and be open about wanting to move for health reasons.

RAGSTORICHES

Thankyou all for your advice which has helped me chill out.

[Deleted User]

Any capital(except your own house ) counts as savings,the amount is £16k but anything between 6k and 16k reduces I/S by £1 for every £250.
The limts are per household,not per person.