lump sum payment

i have savings from a personel pension of over £16000 which i recieved a few years ago before i made a claim for employment and support allowance and placed in support group which i intend to use for alterations to my home to enable me to stay living there due to my ill health these alterations are essential for my wellbeing to enable me to stay living at the property will my esa benefits be effected in any way especially if i lose my esa support group benefit and placed in the means tested esa thanks

Hi Tommy,

Your savings will not have any effect on your contributory ESA but they would be taken into account if you exceed 1 yr in the WRAG and need to claim Income Related ESA.

If you have the necessary work done while on contributory benefit you should be careful to keep receipts in case there are any accusations of 'Deprivation of Capital' `(that is, spending the money solely to reduce your savings so that you can claim benefit).

thanks for the valuable prompt and clear advice tommy