ESA and bank statements

Hi there, received a t/con a few hours ago from someone from the ESA ? dept. with several queries regards a lump sum payment thru ill-health retirement. I did send off receipts
to justify the amount above the £6000 you are apparently allowed, which brought the balance well below this. The conversation went around the cost of one particular item and then I was questioned what I had left and what I had spent the difference on. She commented on a bank statement and I can supply the latest which shows money in and out balance is that enough? do they need the 3/4 pages of direct debits etc. or can I tippex these out? It is all very embarrassing and I said so. She commented on making sure money isn's squandered!!!! I argued, what she might consider an extravagance , might not not be for other people or what she deems as squandering , might not be for me. Is this another minefield ?
Kind regards

princess wrote:

Hi there, received a t/con a few hours ago from someone from the ESA ? dept. with several queries regards a lump sum payment thru ill-health retirement. I did send off receipts
to justify the amount above the £6000 you are apparently allowed, which brought the balance well below this. The conversation went around the cost of one particular item and then I was questioned what I had left and what I had spent the difference on. She commented on a bank statement and I can supply the latest which shows money in and out balance is that enough? do they need the 3/4 pages of direct debits etc. or can I tippex these out? It is all very embarrassing and I said so. She commented on making sure money isn's squandered!!!! I argued, what she might consider an extravagance , might not not be for other people or what she deems as squandering , might not be for me. Is this another minefield ?
Kind regards

Hi p,

This is a complicated subject matter.

The DWP are checking to see whether you have intentionally deprived yourself of capital, to continue your entitlement for benefit.

As you rightly state what might be considered a reasonable expenditure to you may not be classed as the same by the DWP.

Unfortunately, you will have to comply fully with any requests for finacial information.

If any problems ensue, you will need to seek professional face to face advice, see :

Where to get advice?

I gather that you are in receipt of Income Related ESA or some other means tested benefit, as you mention the figure of £6000.

bro58

As I understand it, you are allowed to continue your normal pattern of spending and pay off any debts that are immediately due, but not to go on a spending spree or pay off debts early. I guess they want to know what your normal spending pattern is in order to help them make a decision regarding this.

bro58 wrote:

princess wrote:

Hi there, received a t/con a few hours ago from someone from the ESA ? dept. with several queries regards a lump sum payment thru ill-health retirement. I did send off receipts
to justify the amount above the £6000 you are apparently allowed, which brought the balance well below this. The conversation went around the cost of one particular item and then I was questioned what I had left and what I had spent the difference on. She commented on a bank statement and I can supply the latest which shows money in and out balance is that enough? do they need the 3/4 pages of direct debits etc. or can I tippex these out? It is all very embarrassing and I said so. She commented on making sure money isn's squandered!!!! I argued, what she might consider an extravagance , might not not be for other people or what she deems as squandering , might not be for me. Is this another minefield ?
Kind regards

Hi p,

This is a complicated subject matter.

The DWP are checking to see whether you have intentionally deprived yourself of capital, to continue your entitlement for benefit.

As you rightly state what might be considered a reasonable expenditure to you may not be classed as the same by the DWP.

Unfortunately, you will have to comply fully with any requests for finacial information.

If any problems ensue, you will need to seek professional face to face advice, see :

Where to get advice?

I gather that you are in receipt of Income Related ESA or some other means tested benefit, as you mention the figure of £6000.

bro58

Hi p,

Just to let you see how complicated an issue Capital "can" be, have look at this DWP DM Guide :

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch29.pdf

bro58

Hallo again, I am in receipt of ESA (IR) but have recently
began a small NHS pension which I declared along with the lump sum. I did contact citizen advise and was told they would only be interested in anything over £6000 and to justify any repairs/debts/loans etc. which I didn't have. We needed repairs to the property and I bought a peice of equipment for a hobby, which was questioned. I justified this, I felt, because I have difficulty using my hands. There is some money left, I told her over the phone how much but this is below the £6000 allowance you are allowed to have. I guess that amount is enough for a burial !!!!. I have had recent car repairs and still have the receipts where else does payment come from for these unexpected costs? Is this classed as deprivation of benefit? I am barely in receipt of any ESA due to the £/£ small NHS pension. It still feels so embarrassing having to justify reasonable and responsible money descisions, something you've done all your life to someone that barely is out of nappies!!!! So if I send of my latest bank statement that shows under the £6000 is this sufficient ? or am I still missing something. What kind of a system is this , The Europian parliament squander money in their billions over a period of 18 years, the government continually do the same and right down to your local council
level who live in mahagony row here and not a dickey-bird is said, yet due to know fault of my own I have to justify a few hundred punds of a lump sum that citizen advise suggested I go on holiday with - is that an extravagance then? I do have money left , well under the £6000 that money is in the house but I declared over the phone, and is really for any emergencies - maybe we should go on holiday..... what is classed as deprivation of benefit ?

Thanks for all your help.

As has been said, the rules around this are very complicated and not the kind of thing we can advise on with any certainty.