Spending money before getting uc

[Deleted User]

A friend of mine has 20k in savings, she needs a new kitchen and downstairs bathroom, aswell as some work done in the garage.  
This will come to 15000.  Can she spend this and then claim uc once the balance left is around 5000.

She doesn't work

lookbook

Yes.  No reason why not.

marcia_

[Deleted User] said:

A friend of mine has 20k in savings, she needs a new kitchen and downstairs bathroom, aswell as some work done in the garage.  
This will come to 15000.  Can she spend this and then claim uc once the balance left is around 5000.

She doesn't work

 If she can prove she didn't spend the money in order to be entitled to means tested benefits yes. 

Spoonie_Turtle

She can.  She'll be asked where the money went so she would do well to document what needs doing in order to prove it was reasonable expenditure.

HillStreetBlues

Spoonie_Turtle said:

She can.  She'll be asked where the money went so she would do well to document what needs doing in order to prove it was reasonable expenditure.

I'm not sure if she will be asked. IIRC a person is only asked about current capital, but record keeping certainly a good idea.

Spoonie_Turtle

HillStreetBlues said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

She can.  She'll be asked where the money went so she would do well to document what needs doing in order to prove it was reasonable expenditure.

I'm not sure if she will be asked. IIRC a person is only asked about current capital, but record keeping certainly a good idea.

Agreed it's unlikely to be asked to start with, no, but I would be surprised if it didn't ever come up further down the line.