To ask what access the DWP have to your bank account if claiming universal credit?

[Miniwinnie]

This is actually on behalf of my mum. My dad passed away very suddenly 6 weeks ago. My mum has been off work understandably and been in receipt of sick pay during this time. She also suffers from depression and don’t think she will be returning to work anytime soon.

There is now understandably a huge difference in income as she has went from 2 full time salaries to her receiving SSP. She has made a claim for universal credit for housing costs etc.

She is now worried that she won’t receive any help as the DWP have informed her that they will have access to the activity in her bank account. I don’t know if they have said this exactly or if this is her understanding.

There is a small amount of money there (less than 3K) and she is worried that they will be able to see this or they will know if she takes it from the account. They mentioned the “live system” whatever this is.

Can anyone advise please? Thanks.

Its £10,000

Last time I checked, the £6k threshold is capital, not just savings. So £5k in savings and £1k in a current account would total £6k.

Is that right?

What else counts as capital? If you have £300 on a pre-paid card, would that count towards capital? What about £300 in a PayPal account? What happens if an £800 insurance payout takes my capital to over £6k but then I spend the £800 again on a replacement to replace the damaged/missing item?

actually it says -
for 2020 you may receive a reduced amount if you have more than £10,000 of capital. For every £500 or part of £500 of capital over £10,000, you'll be treated as having an income of £1 a week.

Who's daft enough to hold £300 in a paypal account? Even if, why would you think to tell DWP, its spending money received from a sale most likely

@D2007

Who's daft enough to hold £300 in a paypal account? Even if, why would you think to tell DWP, its spending money received from a sale most likely

...because I sold something? Duur!

well you said it

Every post here is nonsense. Unfortunately the DWP can access your bank account. They do not need a warrant or anything from the magistrates court.

I made a claim for universal credit during the lockdown when my partner couldn't work. They asked for details of all my accounts and how much I had in each one (I have 3 plus an ISA) when my claim came through 3 weeks later they had the exact amounts in my accounts down to the penny. This was less then I had originally declared as I had just got paid myself when I first applied so I think then can access them. They do ignore savings up to £6k so if she has £3k she will be fine