23. Capital limits
There is a ‘lower capital limit’ and an ‘upper capital limit’. You cannot get housing benefit if your capital is above the upper limit of £16,000.
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If your capital is at or below the lower limit of £6,000, your housing benefit is unaffected. If you move permanently into a care home, an Abbeyfield Home or an independent hospital, this lower limit goes up to £10,000. If your stay is only temporary, the £6,000 limit still applies. The lower limit is also set at £10,000 if you or your partner are over pension age.
If your capital is between the lower and upper limits, an amount of ‘tariff income’ is assumed (see
below ).