Updated 23 July 2026
| Benefit | Means-tested? | What actually matters |
|---|---|---|
| PIP / ADP | No | How your condition affects daily living and mobility - savings, income, work and a partner's earnings are all ignored |
| Attendance Allowance | No | Care and supervision needs after State Pension age - your pension and savings are ignored |
| DLA / Child Disability Payment | No | The child's care and mobility needs - parents' income is ignored |
| New Style ESA | No | Your National Insurance record and the Work Capability Assessment; savings are ignored (some private pension income can reduce it) |
| Carer's Allowance | No savings test | Caring 35+ hours and earning £204/wk or less after deductions - savings themselves don't count |
| Universal Credit | Yes | Household income and capital: savings over £6,000 reduce UC, over £16,000 usually end it |
| Pension Credit | Yes | Income-based top-up; savings above £10,000 count as notional income (no hard upper cut-off) |
The non-means-tested benefits compensate for the extra cost and difficulty of disability itself - which doesn't get cheaper because you were careful with money. The means-tested ones top up low household income, so income and capital are exactly what they measure. The two layers stack on top of each other: plenty of households rightly receive one benefit from each column at the same time.
The thresholds people usually have in mind belong to Universal Credit: capital under £6,000 is ignored, between £6,000 and £16,000 it reduces the award month by month, and above £16,000 UC normally stops. If ESA is in the picture the rules differ by type - New Style ESA ignores savings entirely, while the old income-related ESA was means-tested. Our sister site covers the detail in its guide to ESA savings and capital limits.
If you've been putting off a claim because of savings, the numbers at stake are on our 2026/27 rates page - or add up your own situation.
For the non-means-tested benefits, awards turn entirely on how your condition is described. That's the part our sister sites help with:
A personalised report that turns your answers into descriptor-matched PIP2 wording, plus 230+ free guides - savings never come into it.
Start with a free preview →Help with New Style ESA, the UC health element and the Work Capability Assessment - including what the savings rules do and don't touch.
Start with a free preview →Sources: gov.uk: Universal Credit eligibility · gov.uk: PIP · gov.uk: Pension Credit · DWP rates 2026/27