Savings and UC advice

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice regarding savings and UC.

I am a part-time student and full-time carer from Scotland, thus recipient of UC right now because of circumstances. Throughout the past few months, a discretionary hardship payment (I received a lump sum payment at the advice of my finance department that it would be considered capital) from my institution and my entitlement to carer's support payment and ADP (and subsequent backdated payments) have enlarged the savings I have quite quickly. I'm under the 6k limit, but I'm towing the limit with these entitlements, in addition to small personal savings I had intended for living costs throughout my masters. Naturally, I don't feel great about discussing finances with UC, but is it correct that backdated payments are generally disregarded as savings for the first 12 months? Does this also include Carer's support payment or is that looked at different from ADP? I did reach out to UC in the journal to query navigating backdated payment disregard when declaring my savings and how to report, but I haven't heard a thing.

I'm a little concerned about having to declare capital and provide statements and periodically update figures, because my finances are all that's getting me through university without funding. I live with my terminally ill grandmother and when she passes, I'm without support and home. I'm currently awaiting housing, within which I'll have to furnish a property when I move in and I know I'm likely going to have to justify this to UC and for my spending to be misconstrued.

Any advice would be appreciated.