ESA and savings

carmind wrote: If an ESA claimant (income-based) sells a property but any equity is used up paying back a family loan, would this still be classed as savings by the DWP?

They need to get advice from a trained Welfare Advisor, there are two issues potentially associated with this.

- The property, if not the one being lived in by the claimant, should be counted as an asset in regard to ESA(IR) potentially reducing the amount of ESA payable.

- Paying the loan off may be counted as Deprivation of Capital if there is not a clear requirement for it to be paid at this time.

Gordon