As your client is 64, and presumably single from what you've outlined, claiming IS is no longer an effective option, as he would now need to claim Pension Credit.
Any such claim for PC can even be backdated to October 2003. It may be quite possible that even if your client's only income then was his ICB, that he may qualify for PC from that date.
An additional advantage to PC is that there is no upper capital limit, and he may potentially far better off financially being on PC, rather than just contributory based JSA.
In fact, with the introduction of PC, there is probably now no financial advantage to him even pursuing any ICB appeal.
It's not clear why your client does not want to disclose his savings to the DWP, and if this is just a "principled objection" on his part.
However, given he is 64, the issue of claiming PC rather than just say getting by on say just contributory based State Retirement Pension would seem to be a consideration quite soon anyway.
If his ICB appeal "drags on", even claiming contributry based JSA will not be an option once he is 65.
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