To think it's outrageous that a poor pensioner is charged money because she saved

[MummyChelleKent]

I'm so upset with the mail story. A very poor pensioner on a pension of 150 a week saved a bit every month. After a while she saved up 22k to help with her funeral costs and now she's being told she can't have housing benefit and will have to give them all of her savings!

[Alsohuman]

So she’ll have started drawing her state pension in 1984, when she was 60 if that date’s correct. So a bit less than £100 a month saved. I so wish she’d spent it.

[Alsohuman]

Wrong! I mean 1993, don’t I?!!

[ghostofharrenhal]

it's all a bit confusing! But you're right @alsohuman , 32K saved over 26 years isn't excessive, and she would have been getting a fair bit of interest on her savings up until the last ten years or so.

Wasn't there a similar case where someone had saved 55k from their benefits for their child's future and ended up getting prosecuted?

[ghostofharrenhal]

@Alsohuman

[Lunde]

There is a lot of this story that doesn't make sense

Not least is if she is currently 86 - she would have only been 56 when she "retired" in 1989 and not 65

[Alsohuman]

Forget 65. She’s one of the generation who got their pension at 60.

[Liverbird77]

I agree, op. I think the system stinks. She has lived very frugally.
I wish she had just spent of all on having a great time, like all the irresponsible ones.
I bet she doesn't have " essentials " like a smartphone, big TV etc. I bet she doesn't smoke etc etc
I am really sorry for the lady.

[HelenaDove]

I think there has been a lot of embellishment on this story.

[Proteinshakesandovieshat]

If the lady does have learning difficulties and is illiterate then someone was helping fill the forms in and helping with banks etc.

Or somebody should have been.

It's quite clear this money wasnt a funeral fund. It was her children's inheritance. I am guessing they assumed no one would notice her savings. Now the adult children come out of the wood work because it's their inheritance that is at stake.

[BrokenWing]

I agree, op. I think the system stinks. She has lived very frugally.

Which part stinks? If you have over £16k in the bank you don't need benefits is fair. The money should go to those that need it most.

If you fraudulently claim benefits you will need to pay them back and could potentially be prosecuted/jailed. Which is fair.