Isas And Welfare Benefits

[kenjonbro]

ISAs do they affect benefits such as JSA ,Carers Allowance or Working tax /Child credits

[Buenchico]

There are two types of JSA. If a claimant has an up-to-date record of National Insurance contributions then (subject, of course, to meeting the relevant requirements, such as actively seeking work) he/she will receive contribution-based JSA, which is NOT means-tested, for up to 6 months. So it would be irrelevant as to whether he/she had any ISAs.

Anyone who is ineligible for contribution-based JSA (such as people with no recent NI contributions or those who've reached the end of the 6-month period) can apply for income-based JSA but that IS means-tested, with ISAs counting as 'savings'.

ISAs also count when assessing entitlement to any other means-tested benefits. This link shows which benefits are, or are not, means-tested:
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/disability-and-sickness-benefits-check-your-entitlements

[Cloverjo]

I think that any money you have in an ISA would count as savings, and would affect the amount of benefits you receive.

[kenjonbro]

Wasn't it the case several years ago that ISAs were disregarded ?

[Cloverjo]

I don't remembers reading that, ken. It's just a savings account, so the money in it should surely count as your savings.

[fiction-factory]

I don't think ISAs have ever been disregarded. I can't see, for example, more income-related benefits ever having been paid to someone who had £40000 in an ISA than to someone with £8000 in a different type of account