Not sure I'm entitled to any benefit help, am I?

[happyinherts]

I have six years until retirement. DH is retired already, being older than me and is only in receipt of state pension.

I had to give up employment a few years' back to care for elderly relatives - did not claim care allowances.

Now I need an income as cannot cope on state pension alone. I'm actively seeking work but not having much luck, probably due to age.

I can't claim UC because it has to be a joint claim, I understand. DH has state pension. You can't have both.

Can't claim pension credit as both of us have to be of pensionable age.

Is there anything I can claim? Have I fallen through a net? It's getting difficult to even afford bus fares - Londoners of my age have a free pass, and that's walkable distance. Seems I fall foul of everything....

If you’re caring, unpaid, and don’t have rock solid savings to take you through to retirement age, it’s foreseeable that you will hit the skids sooner rather than later.

And no, you fuck off. Without knowing what the OP did and for whom we have no idea if she would even have been eligible 🤷🏼‍♀️ Regardless of honourable motives (which may well be the case), this was foreseeable.

OP, have you checked your NI record?
www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record

You would surely get more money with a job in a supermarket etc? You have said you have not got health issues that prevent you from working, so why would you need benefits?

Yes, I have checked my NI record. I am entitled to a reduced pension in six years time, I believe.

And @Moonicorn with certain age related / disability allowances + pension credits, there's a disincentive to the elderly in applying for it. Nothing is foreseeable in life. Other family who might have helped with care moved away. Was that foreseeable to me? Anyway, like I said, I don't regret my decision and I will acquire my own income without draining any state funds.

@TheIsleOfTheLost I'm 60 years of age. I have not been accepted for any supermarket vacancy. I'm simply enquiring as to what is available - and again, like I said, I'm more than happy to work. I will do if given a role - if not, I'll resurrect my own business.

"Yes, I have checked my NI record. I am entitled to a reduced pension in six years time, I believe."

So you're not at all interested in getting NI credits to fill the gaps in your record, so you can increase your state pension?

I bow out tbh. I don't see how it could have been immoral to claim then but isn't immoral to claim now.

@AnotherEmma I don't have the disposal cash to spend on filling gaps in my NI record.

And morally I classified it as immoral to accept payment in caring for an elderly relative - who had done a lot for me in my younger years. Sorry, if you can't accept that. Don't forget - I didn't move the goal posts on my own pension. The government did. I'd be claiming my own, maybe pension credit too if they hadn't upped it to 66. But that's alright, isn't it? Try and find out what else you might be entitled to at 60, and I'm slated for it.

"I don't have the disposal cash to spend on filling gaps in my NI record."

I told you that you might be able to apply for carer's credits, which would fill the gaps at no cost to you. I've also pointed out that not claiming carer's allowance has created gaps in your record that mean that (as it currently stands) you won't get your full state pension. There was no need for it. It seems martyrish and stubborn to insist on that now, especially as you're struggling.

I hope you do look into CTR at least.

Good luck in your job search.

I cannot prove caring for someone who is long deceased - and no one's acting the martyr here. I'm quite happy with how things panned out. I was making an enquiry. Didn't expect stick, quite frankly. I'm not fussed about a full state pension. I can downsize my house if push comes to real shove. I was enquiring what, if any, a 60 year old female can claim. If nothing, then nothing. End of... No one's acting the martyr or being stubborn. Like I said, in years gone by women of my age were retirement age. Now, they just get stick for enquiring about benefits.

Sorry to ask, how long deceased are they, and what have you been doing between then and now?

Not sure that's relevant @MichelleScarn but between then and now the cost of living hadn't increased dramatically - and adult child contribution to the home was forthcoming. I've cut my cloth according to a pattern basically.

Well how did you manage no actual earned income then and for how long? How much were you charging your child to live at home and did you not feel a tad guilty doing so if not working or claiming entitled benefits?

Supermarket jobs can be really hard going OP. My mum works for Dunelm, she joined them after being made redundant in her 50s. She's still there and turns 70 this year. So there are employers out there who will take on and value an older candidate. She did have a tough time finding work though. Employers aren't supposed to discriminate against age, but unfortunately it will be a disadvantage.

Why should I feel guilty about taking board and lodging money off an adult child who earns well - when I'm doing laundry, cooking and providing for him. No, I don't. Why should he live free? What he paid me is irrelevant because he doesn't live here any more, and hasn't done for a year. I've cut my cloth according to a pattern. Honestly, Spanish inquisition for asking about benefits is unreal. I did also have a husband in employment remember.

If you use this excellent calculator all your questions will be answered.

benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/survey/1/bc1c7225-7e1c-4708-8ed6-ad7a290ab2c4

Oh and take no notice about taking money for board and lodging from earning adult children. I did exactly this because I was not in the financial position not to need it. MN is often a parallel universe where adult kids can live rent free for ever... OR in extremis , they charge a ridiculous low amount and save it up for them returning it when move out. All very nice if your finances allow but if they don't then do not give a moments thought.

in years gone by women of my age were retirement age

They were but TBF that was raised years ago so makes no difference to you now you actually are 60. DM has been complaining about how she was not able to retire at 60 for years, & she’s now 71.

The point is you need to plan your life under the rules as they are now. You may have been eligible to claim carers allowance but chose not to. There is no use lamenting you would have been at pensionable age at 60 in the past. Sign on as unemployed and you will get accredited with NI and they will advise if you are entitled to any other benefits. No point sitting at home handwringing.

god. Some people are nosey fuckers!
for those that have said
“ about OP not getting her S Pension @ 60 to forget about that goal post now it’s 66”

would you not be pissed off if at 58 you found out the government has taken 47k from you
and you now have to wait another 6 years
because
I was gutted not to receive my S Pension @ 60

Perhaps @Viviennemary could point out where I was 'handwringing.' I was asking for advice - which another poster kindly gave me an 'entitled to' website.

My point about women once being entitled to their pension at 60 was to dispel the nastiness that was on here about my laziness or failure to get myself a job.

Really didn't expect women to be quite so nasty when all I wanted was advice - no more commenting please. I have used the 'entitled to' website I was kindly given.

I am sorry you feel people were nasty. It's no fun being short of money.

If you're 60 now, your retirement age for getting the state pension is 67, not 66