Incapacity, DLA and inheritance

[The Chez]

I'm currantly on Incapacity benefit and DLA as a result of having Aspergers Syndrome. To cut a long story short I may be in line to inherit some money from my grandma, who sadly passed away. I have never in my life dealt with anything like it, so far my mum has taken care of most of the issues surrounding her death.

 

We do not know yet if there is a will, but wether there is or not me & my sister may still be in line to receive her estate. Now what I need to know and what everyone else involved seems to have bypassed, is how do I go about securing any inheritance so I do not lose my Incapacity or/and DLA and land up having to live off anything I get and then being unable to re claim the benefits at a later date (I have already had problems with DLA, and I would also be unable to reclaim incapacity due to the changes) Having to go on ESA as a new claimant in a few years time would be both very stressful having to keep attending interveiws and would not be enough money to live on. Once your off benefits, it's virtually impossible to get back on them. Then I would have to live with the fact that my grandma's money had been wasted on living costs.

 

I do not have any income support, housing benefit or anything apart from incapacity & DLA. Are these 2 even effected by any sum of money you come into that is not earned through work? All I know is you can't earn any money through work while claiming incapacity, but what are the rules if the money you get is not earned?

 

If this is going to be the case, can I appoint anyone else to receive the inheritence for me so I don't have the money in my bank account? I'm really worried about the whole thing as the last thing I want to have to do is fritter my grandma's money on living costs.

 

Any money I did have would be in an account for a pretty short length of time also, before it was invested in the way me & my partner intend.

 

I'm going to try and ring the CAB on Monday to see if they know anything.

Edited June 13, 2009 by The Chez

[installspark]

For IB, other contributory benefits and DLA the amount of capital is ignored. The only deduction that will be made from IB is if you are in receipt of an occupational pension of more than £85 per week.

 

For all income related benefits, including Pension Credits, if your capital is less than £6000 this is disregarded. For capital above £6000 you are deemed to have an income of £1 per week for every additional £250 held up to a limit of £16000. Any capital above £16000 will automatically disallow income related benefits.

 

Capital is treated as being savings, amounts held in bank accounts, property but not including your sole residence, stocks, shares and land.

[The Chez]

Well I should be ok then, I might still call the CAB to make sure but I thought the same. I'm not on any income related benefits as I live with my partner who works. When I moved in with him I reported my change of curcumstances and the only benefit that was effected was income support (which I no longer claim for that reason). They told us at the time that he could have a million pounds and still it would not effect me, but I don't know about me having the large sum under my name. It wouldn't be there long before it was invested though.

 

Thanks anyway.

[installspark]

Wouldn't make any difference as to who's name it was under.

[The Chez]

Wouldn't make any difference as to who's name it was under.

 

It would because when I told them about my change of curcumstances when I moved in with my partner, they told me he could have a million pounds & still it would not effect what I get.

[installspark]

Only if you claim an income related benefit

[The Chez]

Which I don't, I can't claim anything income related now. I wondered if there was a deduction from IB or DLA for capital though.

[installspark]

No as these are not income related benefits.