Effect of unearned income from the USA Coronavirus payment scheme on Housing Benefit and CTR

My client is pension age and is receiving a British and a US state pension, she is part of a mixed age couple and they receive HB and CTR under the “old” rules for mixed age couples. She also has a top up of Carers Allowance as her UK state pension is only £40/week.  Her partner has new style ESA and PIP.

She has been sent a cheque for $1000 under the US coronavirus economic impact scheme - this has been automatically issued to most US pensioners and citizens. It has been sent from the IRS (US tax office)

Her question is how will this be treated as income for her benefit claims?

I have advised that this should not affect her CA claim as it is not earned income.
I think that this could arguably be treated as a voluntary payment for HB and be disregarded - it is not from a charity or individual but it is unearned income, it is not a pension or a UK benefit and it is a one off, a bit like our winter fuel payment to pensioners.

As it is such an unusual payment I would be grateful for any thoughts or if anyone else has come across this or similar one off payments from another government and can advise how they were treated.
Thanks, Victoria

it would be treated as a one off , voluntary payment, or at a push , capital
Pretty much all US citizens got it , they didnt have to be pensioners ( my husband got one in the post the other day - hasbnt lived in US for 28 years . Level of income wasnt a factor in these being issued. Unlike furlough , it wasnt to replace wages , so its not limked to income at all.

Cant imagine HB sebction would be aware unless you tell them, so prob best to guide them and explain it is a pne off, government payment rather than any sort of regular income, not is it limed to any specific period.

Thanks Prisca

If its a one-off payment, then it’s capital surely. As such, unless it pushes her over threshold, can’t see it’s a problem.

It’s the very definition of capital for me. Don’t see it as an issue at all.

Thanks for your posts, as a one off payment I am going to tell her to declare it as an increase in capital - it does take her over the lower threshold but not the higher.