Now that most claimants are having their benefits paid direct in to their bank account this seems to be causing confusion when it comes to amounts in their bank account when claiming means tested benefits.

We have a client who has RP DLA and an occupational pension paid into her account. When she sent her bank statements to the HB authority the full amount has been treated as capital(therefor counted twice). If she still had her benefits paid by orderbook this problem would not arise.

Is the benefit ignored for the period it is paid and the remainder treated as capital? Has anybody any ideas as to the solution - obviously this could become a problem for many claimants in the future?

Income paid into a bank account remains income for the duration of the period to which it relates and so should be appropriately deducted from the current balance.

This was confirmed long ago in R(IS)3/93. The problem should not be arising, but the "paint by numbers" procedures many LA's provide for their assesors, and the lack of training given to them is the root of it