Pension credit - non eligibility

[MotherOfPuffling]

I wondered if anyone here can advise. My mum is in her 70s, renting (social housing). She is in receipt of state pension, housing benefit, and a small private pension from her time in the civil service. It’s only about £200pcm, and all goes on rent as it is taken off her HB. So financially she is effectively only on the state pension. However, the private pension means she can’t get pension credit. Lots of discounts are only available with pension credit, so she can’t access them either. I thought pension credit was there because the state pension isn’t enough to live on on its own, yet people in mum’s position have to do just that. Is there any way that someone in this position can access pension credit, even if no extra money, just to access the pensioner discounts available?

The government will say a single pensioner needs x to live off of a week. If they get more than x, they won’t get pension credit.

the amount the government thinks a person needs to live on will be increased if the get a disability benefit. Look at attendance allowance And see if she meets the criteria

Currently if her income is more than £182.60 a week with no disability benefits there will be no top ups of pension credit.

please note savings over £10,000: every £500 counts as £1 income a week for income related benefits.

see more here www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility

www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance

I know this sounds bizarre but an elderly family member didn't think they were entitled as their income was slightly higher than that PP had quoted but other calculators online said they were so we applied anyway and got it. So could possibly worth doing?

Don't ask me how it all worked by glad we tried!

I’d do an Attendance Allowance claim for her. Unless she’s as fit as a flea and can do everything as quickly and well as she could in her 40’s, she’ll likely qualify. Because she lives alone (as long as no one then claims a Carer’s Allowance for her), the Severe Disability Premium will apply - this is worth 69.40 per week. Add that to the 182.60 a week - as long as her weekly income falls below that, she’ll then qualify for PC.

The AA is non means tested and not counted as income.

get support with form filling.

being on PC will passport her to full HB and full Council Tax Reduction.

Thanks everyone. No chance of PIP or atttendance allowance, this is someone who is fitter than most 40 year olds, walks for hours every day, and gets up at 5am to do an hour of yoga before breakfast! I wish I had half her fitness levels or muscle tone! But it’s also someone having to live on a few pennies over £135 a week and with no savings 😞

If she’s that fit, maybe she could top up her earnings with a small job? Or selling crafts or reselling stuff on eBay?

Trouble is it would have to be cash in hand or would just reduce her housing benefit, and she won’t as she is both achingly honest and very principled - which is great of course but also awkward.

I’m going to try the calculator a pp suggested and keep my fingers crossed

If she is eligible then apply asap and say that you wish to backdate it. If you do not backdate it then she will not be eligible for the cost of living payment.

Would she have room for, or want, a lodger? No tax to pay on the first £7,500.

Hi OP, your mum could contact the Civil Service Benevolent Charity, now called foryoubyyou.org.uk