Is money in a private pension counted as savings?

[SoonToBeSix]

For benefit purposes ie housing benefit , universal credit? I have tried googling but can only find information on pensioners savings? Thanks

Bump

I doubt it.

It isn't liquid so my guess is that it doesn't count.

Thanks

No it isn't. Assuming that the money is still in the fund and not paid out already to you as a lump sum.

Thanks Vivienne do you know if you can add to it while claiming universal credit.

No, it shouldn't do. I have a decent amount in my private pension from when I was working but am claiming income support and housing benefit now. I declared the full amount (well over max savings limit) and I've been able to claim the maximum amount of benefits so it wasn't counted at all. Very glad I put it into my pension and not in ISAs! Am in my 30s and pension won't be accessible for a couple of decades at least.