Universal Credit application when nearly state pension age?

[Bridget57]

A friend of mine and her dh are experiencing some financial difficulties. He is about 8 months off state pension age, she is a few years younger than him but they both plan to survive off his state pension and a very small private pension when he turns 66. Would it be worth them making a claim for universal credit, even if it was just for a few months. They did claim it as a couple a few years ago but stopped the claim when they received a small inheritance which they have been living off and had hoped it would last them until he was in receipt of state pension. However, the money has nearly run out and they will struggle to get through the next few months. If they were to make a claim for UC for just a few months, would they be forced to find work by a work coach, even if they intended to end their claim after a few months? He has a history of mental health issues and she is his unpaid carer so neither would want to have to look for work. He was previously in receipt of PIP and she received carer's allowance but his PIP was refused at review and neither of them has the strength to apply for it again so, unfortunately, both PIP and Carers Allowance payments stopped, hence them running out of money sooner than expected. Would a work coach take this into consideration?

They can claim UC now. As the wife is younger than the husband UC will remain their income top up benefit until she hits pension age. Whether UC continues after his pension starts will depend on circumstances; in particular do they pay rent?

As ever CA's Help to Claim service is a good shout fro those contemplating UC.

I'd argue that given his health issues he shouldn't be leaned on to find work but if he can evidence ill health with a fit note he should be ok anyway.

Thank you for the reply. They own their own small home outright. The private pension will be approx £110 per month which they will add to his state pension and hope it will be enough to live off. I have tried to research universal credit information online for them but have got very confused. I thought that if it was a joint UC claim it would end once he starts to receive state pension?

few things missing
do they rent ? Mortgage ?
does dw want to go to work ? Or plan to be at home?

Id definitely put in UC claim, dh could get fit note due to ill health.
If you do , you may get help with
council tax
rent?
water rates
free prescription

They may ask DW to visit jobcentre , who knows
at 60+ I don’t think there’s much chance of getting a job (and obviously if she doesn’t want to work)

Dont be put off putting another application in for PIP (although I think it changes to AA at a certain age)
most people get turned down , you have to ask them to look at it again
Its not what’s wrong with them that counts
Its what help they need from someone

You could ask them or you could if you know most details of what they pay out per month
go o Turn2us website
it gives you an idea of payment they would receive, but you have to wait I think 5/6 weeks before you hear anything. so worth putting it in now .

Thank you. The wife does not want to work as she cares full time for her dh. She has been his carer for a few years and previous to that she cared for her late mother, so she has been out of the workplace for quite a few years, can't use computers, struggles with technology etc (hence me helping). He was previously in receipt of PIP and she of carers allowance but after they were turned down at review they refuse to reapply as they said its too stressful. I'm sure he could get a fit note from the doctor but she is worried that at 61 she will be expected to actively seek work for the few months they claim UC.

She will be expected to work if she isn’t on carers allowance, yes.

Thank you. This is what is stopping them claiming UC. They are worried that for the approx 6 months they claim UC that she will be expected to actively look for work and she is absolutely terrified of this having been out of the workplace for so long.

For mixed aged couples you can claim UC when getting state pension. The younger person would still have work commitments though.

Thanks for all the replies. I now think the only way forward is for him to apply for PIP again.

He should do it asap given the length of time they take to look at them

Just been researching PIP and I don't think you can get it when you are state pension age and he will be by the time they look at his PIP claim. Also, he'd never get awarded PIP and her, carers allowance, before they would have to claim UC. I think they will just have to go ahead and claim UC and he'll have to get a fit note (which he shouldn't have a problem getting) and she will just have to be prepared to look for work, even if she only claims UC for a few months, realistically, I highly doubt anyone will offer her a job anyway.

She can satisfy the requirement by applying for loads of jobs (that theoretically she could do) and they'll all look at her application and say "out for 20 years, not even going to bother"

(....ask me how I know...)

they should apply for UC and he should apply for PIP again before he reaches pension age. PIP is a “better benefit” than AA and if he is on it when he reaches pension age they will never reduced it, only increase. If either of them are unfit for work they should ask the Gp for a fit note.
even if they don’t look at the PIP award until after he turns pension age the award date is when he turns. It is then awarded for life.

Realistically, and I used tobeitk for them, they are not young to pester someone her age.

He can apply for PIP - which can be switched if the decision hasn’t been made before he’s pension age.

https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

He should put in the PIP claim. If he ends up being entitled to it they backdate to the date of application so worth doing. If he doesn’t get PIP he can apply for attendance allowance once over state pension age which would enable her to claim carers and then they could make a joint UC claim.

God they definitely will. They demanded my disabled, well over state pension age DH attend the job focus interviews 3 times before i managed to get them to understand he does not have to seek work and they turned the work commitments off for him. I think of someone has work commitments they will be expected to fulfill them. Even 20 years ago when my Dad was 8 weeks off retirement and lost his incapacity benefit he was sent to a job workshop thing 3 days a week.

Yes they will both have to some work commitment appointments until he has been assessed for work capability which can take a few months. If he is handing in sick notes though the work coach can minimise what is asked of him.
She would not be able to not work unless he receives PIP an d she is recognized as his carer.

The male on reaching state pension age should claim this
It is not means tested
https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance

The female should claim this once he reaches state pension age
It will be means tested for her
She can work x amount of hours or not work
Importantly, her National Insurance contributions will be paid, which go towards her own state pension & her own other benefits

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance

They could currently claim universal credit, carers allowance after putting in fit notes
LWCRA

It does not sound like he has PIP in place so how could she claim carers allowance?

They can’t get carers allowance

Thanks so much for all the replies. My friend cannot claim carers allowance as her dh is not currently in receipt of PIP. He will claim Attendance Allowance when he gets to state pension age but it's the next few months they need financial help for to help them survive until he is in receipt of state pension. That's why I suggested claiming UC but they are both worried they will be made to seek work for the few months they are on it. He wouldn't mentally be able to cope with interviews etc and, even though PIP was refused this time on review and she can no longer get carers allowance, she still cares for him full time and searching for and holding down a job would be very difficult for her.

There is little point in waiting 8 months to claim AA. He should put in a PIP claim asap, any monies would be backdated and of he were to be awarded it is potentially a better benefit as the mobility element applies whereas you cannot get that for AA. Even at the standard rate it’s over £100 a month extra. Well worth applying for PIP now. I would also say they should apply for UC now, again no reason to wait. If he can get fit notes she can just do as required by UC in order for them to get some money meantime. If that means taking a job then that is what she will have to do, you can’t just choose not to work if you don’t have the funds to support that unfortunately. I do think a PIP claim so she could claim carers and have no work commitments is the best way forward. Waiting 8 months to do an AA claim is madness.

Apply for PIP now and UC as others say.

He will file a fit note which kicks off a work Capability Assessment. They cannot make him take work and once there's a fit note any demanding work search requirement will be turned off.

If she's his carer already, albeit not entitled to Carers Allowance or the Carer Element in UC, then if there is an application for PIP a Job Coach should recognise that and tailor work related requirements accordingly.