Webinar - For what it’s worth: Capital in UC
Next date
About this course
Perhaps a client has savings, or they’ve had a recent lump-sum payment. Perhaps they own a second property or are about to come into an inheritance. In these cases and others, you'll need to contend with the universal credit (UC) capital rules.
Capital over £16,000 normally means you can’t get UC; capital between £6,000 and £16,000 won’t rule you out but reduces how much UC you can get; and capital under £6,000 is ignored. These core rules are simple, but the reality can be anything but straightforward. What actually counts as capital? Who is classed as owning it? And what does the benefit system say about how they can spend it?
In this online seminar, we focus on some of the questions that come up repeatedly in UC advice work:
- The definition of capital and the list of disregards
- How to tell the difference between capital and income in edge cases
- Does it matter if savings or property are held in your name? Legal and beneficial ownership of capital and what it means for UC
- What you can spend without affecting UC, and what counts as deliberate deprivation of capital
- An update on the DWP’s bid for greater bank surveillance powers
This intermediate-level webinar assumes some background knowledge about universal credit.
Speakers will include:
Martin Williams: CPAG welfare rights adviser working on the Upper Tribunal project
Carri Swann: CPAG welfare rights adviser and training officer
The webinar will be facilitated by Owen Stevens: CPAG welfare rights adviser specialising in UC advice.
Method of delivery and timings:
- The webinar will run from 1:30pm to 4pm on Wednesday 10th December 2025.
- It will be delivered live online, via Zoom, and there will be an opportunity for attendees to ask the speakers questions.
- Participants will receive an email link, a few days before the webinar, to allow access to the event.
Ticket prices start from £69.60 for CPAG members and £87 for non-members.