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Deprivation of Capital?

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4 years 6 months ago #251672 by sunshinemb
Deprivation of Capital? was created by sunshinemb
Hi
I am hoping for some guidance.
I have read through the topics related to Deprivation of Capital and want to get some more help before I call the DWP

Go to last paragraph for question!:)
Just for some background...
I recently had a nasty fall in the shower(this has happened many times) and this time it resulted in a fractured knee cap and I am still recovering.
I have lived in my HA ground floor flat 5years.
I was planning to change the bathroom to a wet room next year when I had a small pension to take as a lump sum at 65 next summer.

(I did not know anything about Disabled Facilities Grant until last week and by then I had already applied for the Lump Sum and the application could not be reversed).

I also wanted to pay off the balance of interest free credit card that I used to purchase a second hand Wheelchair Access Vehicle for £5595 next July as Interest ends in Aug 2021.
I have been making extra payments on CC using PIP award after paying for my PCA.

Anyway, this fall has really caused me problems in me being able to use the shower and I am scared to death of getting in it!!(I am in receipt of IRESA, SDP, and enhanced PIP for both awarded for 10years).
I have been through an OT assessment after shower accident and have got approval from HA to do the work.
If I went down the Disabled Facilities Grant it would take up to a year to get the work done in our area and it could be even longer....so I made the decision to pay for it myself and take out the lump sum now so the work can be done this month by a specialist firm who work in my area and for the local council.

So the money which I though would be just over £14K after tax etc landed in my bank today at just short of £17K! Obviously over the threshold for MT benefits.

My question is can the DWP disregard any part of the Capital for me to use it for the disabled access bathroom(the main reason for cashing it in) or paying for wheelchair access vehicle?...or have I made a monumental mistake taking the lump sum now?
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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4 years 6 months ago #251689 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Deprivation of Capital?
sunshinemb

There is no clear answer to your question as ultimately it will depend on the views of a DWP Decision Maker.

You can put aside money for essential repairs and projects such as a wet room, the most important thing is to be open with the DWP about what you are doing, write to them and include quotations for the work so that they can see the amount is justified.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: sunshinemb

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4 years 6 months ago #251696 by sunshinemb
Replied by sunshinemb on topic Deprivation of Capital?
Thank you very much for your reply Gordon...I really appreciate your advice and
I am definitely going to be honest with the DWP about everything as I always have been paranoid about doing something that's not right...it's just really stressful when I thought the money would be under £16K...in another life I would have been over the moon about it!

I did find a link on one of the older threads after I had posted - "Chapter 52 Capital" It's taken me a while to read through tonight as I have been dealing with the HA and the Specialist Firm who are going to do the job...I got the quote back and I am going to get all the paperwork together and print off all the emails back and forth between me and OT and HA since early August, so the DWP will know that I have not just come up with this idea today! Thanks again:)

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