Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Pension credit

35 replies

hytdgfr · 13/09/2024 18:28

I worrying parents may be entitled but don't know enough about their finances to check properly.
Both parents over 70, state pensions. Mum gets PIP she lives in a hospital bed in the living room.
She's not the most reliable with accurate info and neither is dad to be fair.
No savings as such
They could be couldn't they?

OP posts:
caringcarer · 13/09/2024 22:33

StMarieforme · 13/09/2024 21:28

They will still get it if your Mum is on PIP

You don't get it even if on PIP if you get full new state pension. If they get old state pension they might get if they don't get SERPS.

caringcarer · 13/09/2024 22:34

fizzymizzy · 13/09/2024 22:26

I get PIP and a full pension, and I get pension credit.

How?

Is your full pension the old state pension?

fizzymizzy · 13/09/2024 22:44

fizzymizzy · 13/09/2024 22:26

I get PIP and a full pension, and I get pension credit.

How?

Sorry ignore me I thought that comment was by the person who said they you get it for being on PIP Blush

TheShellBeach · 13/09/2024 23:54

Bignanna · 13/09/2024 22:06

As you get a full pension, how do you qualify for pension credit?

Because of also getting PIP.

Getting PIP changes the goalposts. It isn't counted as part of your income, but getting it gives you what the DWP call an "underlying entitlement" to Carers Allowance, and this gives you a premium. Even though you can't get Carers Allowance, you can get pension credit.

fizzymizzy · 13/09/2024 23:58

Only if you get pension credit in the first place?

TheShellBeach · 14/09/2024 00:00

fizzymizzy · 13/09/2024 22:26

I get PIP and a full pension, and I get pension credit.

How?

When you get PIP as a pensioner, the DWP considers you to have an underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance, which changes the goalposts. You're allowed a bigger income if you're disabled, so you get pension credit.

heenaren · 14/09/2024 00:08

TheShellBeach · 13/09/2024 23:54

Because of also getting PIP.

Getting PIP changes the goalposts. It isn't counted as part of your income, but getting it gives you what the DWP call an "underlying entitlement" to Carers Allowance, and this gives you a premium. Even though you can't get Carers Allowance, you can get pension credit.

Edited

Agree with this. My parents are in the same situation as OP's parent. Mum is disabled and gets PIP (though is on enhanced for both parts, but that doesn't make a difference here). Dad is her carer but can't claim carer's allowance as it overlaps with state pension. But he gets thr underlying entitlement to it, which means the minimum amount they are deemed to need through pension credit is higher than if he didn't have that underlying entitlement. Mum and dad both get full state pension. Then because they get pension credit, they get their council tax paid without further financial assessment, help with dental/optician costs and cold weather payment if temperature is below 0 for 7 days. They own their own home so no housing costs.

fizzymizzy · 14/09/2024 00:18

I think my Dad has been let down by SS and the welfare rights. I'm going to look into this further for him as he only gets his state pension and PIP - he definitely needs the extra money as he struggles on his own. Thank you

Bignanna · 14/09/2024 14:59

TheShellBeach · 14/09/2024 00:00

When you get PIP as a pensioner, the DWP considers you to have an underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance, which changes the goalposts. You're allowed a bigger income if you're disabled, so you get pension credit.

But the carers allowance would be for someone caring for you, wouldn’t it , as how can you get pip and also carer’s allowance?

TheShellBeach · 14/09/2024 15:05

Bignanna · 14/09/2024 14:59

But the carers allowance would be for someone caring for you, wouldn’t it , as how can you get pip and also carer’s allowance?

If nobody is claiming it, you still have an underlying entitlement to it, and you get a premium.
Pension Credit tops you up to a certain amount. If you're getting PIP it tops you up a lot more.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page