Handling a bereavement

Hi, I am new to this site and haven't learned how to use it properly yet. I may have posted somewhere else and lost it, thus repeating myself. I am a 60yr old male on Income Related ESA since 2015. I am in the support group. I live in a Council bedsit. I am a self employed carpenter working the permitted hours, occasionally 16 hrs a week. I keep and submit accounts to HMRC; the DWP use these accounts to assess me. So far there's been no complaints. I have had no work due to covid 19 since last year. Next year due to the death of my father, on the sale of his house, I may inherit 1/4 share. This will exceed the permitted capital I am allowed to have but in no way would it lift me out from the poverty trap I am in. Mostly because of the depreciation of capital rules. I will lose most or all my benefits until I have 'spent off' down to the £16,000 limit. However, this is all very generic. I have researched all the generic advice here and elsewhere and understand the basic rules of £6,000 - £16,000. I have also heard I may be able to apply for legitimate expenses which could mitigate the 'Depreciation of Capital Assets' rules - so that the period which I have to live off my assets is shortened. For example I had my toolkit stolen, could I apply to replace those tools with my capital and have that amount reduced from the period of living? Could I apply for long needed new things such as a van or new mattresses? I have a disabled son not living with me and he needs lots of help, his flat needs work etc, we need to help his son, my grandson. So, is there any way I can appeal to the DWP with all this, after all we are a family in need and it seems rather harsh to have to live off my entire capital as a replacement of my state benefits? Particularly since they're not really enough to live on, unless I get rid of the car and the broadband. How does any exemption from deprivation of capital work? Who do I apply to and when? What forms and so on? What is a 'Decision Maker' and how do they need me to communicate with them? I'm sorry to ask so many questions in one go. Paul.