Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of excluding the sale of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles from Universal Credit income assessments.

The treatment of capital in any benefit that assists with living expenses is not a straightforward matter.

The current system allows people to continue to receive benefit even though they may have an amount of capital from £6,000 by gradually reducing the level of their entitlement.

The level beyond which capital starts to be considered is £6,000. This is because it is right that there is a point at which people with more substantial capital use these resources to help maintain themselves.

The capital limit above which Universal Credit entitlement ends is £16,000. This strikes a balance between protecting less well-off people and the taxpayer, whilst at the same time recognising the conscientious efforts of people who have built up capital.

This limit also ensures that the help which comes from taxpayers, many of whom are themselves on low incomes and have limited capital, is directed to people who need it most.