If you’ve received injury compensation, a personal injury trust can protect your money and your right to means-tested benefits. Our UK-wide personal injury trust solicitors make the process simple, clear and stress-free. With over 3,000 five-star reviews, Winston Solicitors are trusted to safeguard your future.
- Protect your compensation UK-wide
- Keep your means-tested benefits safe
- Set up a personal injury trust easily
- Get advice from trusted UK solicitors
- Plan for future care fees with confidence
- Start your trust in just a few steps
What is a Personal Injury Trust?
If you’ve received a personal injury compensation payout, you might worry about how it affects your benefits or future care costs. A personal injury trust, managed by trustees, keeps your compensation separate from your other assets.
This means your compensation won’t count when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or local authority assess your eligibility for means-tested benefits or care funding.
At Winston Solicitors, we’ve helped many people protect their settlements. With over 3,000 five-star reviews, clients across the UK trust our personal injury trust solicitors to handle the process with empathy, clarity and speed.
Monika helped us with probate and a trust. Correspondence was always timely, friendly and we felt listened to as clients. I would definitely recommend Winston Solicitors.
Client, Kent
Why a Personal Injury Trust Matters
- Protect your benefits: If your savings go above £6,000, you could lose entitlement to benefits.
- Plan for the future: A trust also helps if you later need care fee assessments.
- Peace of mind: You stay in control of your compensation, with trustees you choose.
Putting your compensation into a personal injury trust is often the difference between financial security and losing vital support.
Monika Volsing, Head of Private Client
Key Rules You Need to Know
- 12-month deadline: You must set up your trust within 12 months of receiving compensation because you have a 52-week grace period. For the first year, your compensation is ignored in benefit assessments. After this, without a trust, it can reduce or stop your benefits.
- £6,000 threshold: If your payout doesn’t push you above this, you may not need a trust.
How to Set Up a Personal Injury Trust
Setting up a personal injury trust is simpler than it sounds. Here’s how we guide you through it:
Step 1 – Get Expert Legal Advice
Speak to one of our personal injury trust solicitors. We’ll explain your options and check if a trust is the right choice for you.
Step 2 – Choose Your Trustees
You’ll need two trustees. Trustees should be over 18, reliable, and good with money. One trustee will usually be yourself.
Step 3 – Open a Trust Bank Account
The trustees open a dedicated account in their joint names. Banks will run standard checks, including bankruptcy and ID verification.
Step 4 – Transfer Your Compensation
Your compensation is then moved into the trust account. This keeps it separate from your other savings.
Step 5 – Accessing Your Money
You can still use your compensation when you need it. Withdrawals must be approved by the trustees.
Step 6 – Keep Records Safe
Trust documents and bank records should be kept secure, as the DWP may ask for proof in the future.
Tip: Setting up your trust within 12 months avoids complications with the DWP or your local authority. Acting early gives you peace of mind.
Costs of Setting Up a Personal Injury Trust
One of the first questions people ask us is about cost. At Winston Solicitors, we believe in transparent and fair pricing.
The cost of setting up a personal injury trust will depend on your circumstances, but most clients find it is a small, one-off fee compared to the risk of losing long-term benefits or care support. Our expert personal injury trust solicitors explain fees upfront so there are no surprises.
Remember: if your compensation takes your savings above £6,000, the cost of a trust is usually outweighed by the financial protection it provides.
Trustees and Bank Accounts Explained
When setting up your trust, you’ll need two trustees – one is usually you. Trustees should be over 18, reliable, and financially responsible. Many people choose a family member or close friend.
Your trustees will then open a personal injury trust bank account. Some high-street and specialist banks offer these accounts, but they may run checks such as ID, credit, and bankruptcy history. Don’t worry - we can help you through choosing the right bank and completing the paperwork.
Why Choose Winston Solicitors?
With over 3,000 five-star reviews, we are one of the UK’s most trusted law firms for personal injury trusts. Clients tell us they value our clear advice, fair fees, and caring approach.
Our personal injury trust team is based in Leeds, but we support clients across the UK by phone, video call, and online. Whether your compensation is large or small, we’ll help you set up your trust quickly and with confidence.
Monika dealt with a Will Trust for us and was very helpful. She gave a lot of advice to start with, and then throughout the process was efficient at chasing things up, very responsive to queries (and there were a lot!), dealt with other solicitors on our behalf and we felt at all times that we were in very safe hands.
Client, Leeds
Call us today on 0113 320 5000 or start your personal injury trust online. Protect your compensation and secure your benefits with expert UK solicitors.
It ringfences your compensation from your other assets. This protects your money when the DWP or local authority assess you for means-tested benefits or care fees.
Your compensation is paid into a trust account managed by trustees. You can still spend the money, but withdrawals must be approved and signed by your trustees.
There’s usually a one-off solicitor’s fee. At Winston Solicitors, we’ll explain the cost upfront, which is often small compared to the risk of losing benefits.
Some high-street banks and specialist providers offer them. Requirements vary but we can advise on this.
You can spend your compensation on almost anything you need especially related to your injury, such as housing, daily living costs, or medical care. The key is that withdrawals are made through the trustees.
Yes, it’s still recommended. Your circumstances may change in the future, and setting up a trust now protects you later.
After 12 months (the 52-week disregard), your compensation could be counted as savings. This may reduce or even stop your benefits, or mean you pay your own care fees.
