Help for a newly widowed friend
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She or someone should check that she has the single person discount for council tax and any benefits she is entitled to.
Releasing equity may be an option or selling and moving to somewhere smaller, more modern and economical to heat. Her children would need to help her with that.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
All of above came to mind and as I saw a hospice mentioned I wondered if your friend had the benefit of support and advice from agencies such as McMillan charity? There should have been advice given on enhanced payments/allowances to help with things such as extra heating. The support does not end with the bereavement. There could also be widows allowance or bereavement allowance entitlement. Age Concern, CAB, benefits office all good starting points.0
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Silvertabby wrote: »But what if the family don't have £15K to lend?
Then its back to Plan A, equity release.0 -
All of above came to mind and as I saw a hospice mentioned I wondered if your friend had the benefit of support and advice from agencies such as McMillan charity? There should have been advice given on enhanced payments/allowances to help with things such as extra heating. The support does not end with the bereavement. There could also be widows allowance or bereavement allowance entitlement. Age Concern, CAB, benefits office all good starting points.
Does the hospice offer any bereavement counselling ? My local hospice does and will also help with identifying benefits.Never pay on an estimated bill0 -
also her state pension has obviously been reduced.
Could you clarify this? I assume that her husband was receiving his state pension under the old system. If her own state pension is under a full basic state pension, she could almost certainly claim on his contributions and also be entitled to receive some portion of his additional state pension.
https://www.savvywoman.co.uk/2012/07/what-happens-to-your-state-pension-when-you-die/
Is her income low enough to entitle her to pension credit?
See https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs48_pension_credit_fcs.pdf
Has she claimed a single person discount on council tax?
Re winter fuel
https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/what-youll-get0 -
JackieO - is there any family member who can help her with checking on her utilities, insurances, bank accounts etc ? I took over my MIL's when she was widowed and saved her a fortune on her insurance.Never pay on an estimated bill0
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....or she could just follow the advice given in the first answer and turn to the experts...0
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The state pension would not have reduced, it may have gone up. You need to find out from her exactly what she is getting. She may already been on Pension Credit as a couple, and that would reduce from a couple to a single person.
i was going to say that - my SRP went up by over £40pw when my husband died.0 -
Hi chums I have read all your answers and they have all been very helpful I believe her son-in-law has managed to get her council tax reduced to a single persons one which will help.
He also has persuaded her to change from BT to a cheaper provider for her phone .My DD is looking this week into various ways to get her some more cash coming in, and there is a possibility that one of her Grandsons may buy her house next year, so she will be able to move to some where smaller and more economical to run. Her late OH bless him refused to have central heating put in because in his eyes it wasn't needed as they had both grown up without it
He was a lovely man but quite set in his ways .We are all rallying round to see what help we can get for her, and my DD who is a business manager in a school is this week phoning here there and everywhere to find out what she can apply for.
Poor Margaret she is a dear soul who is totally flummoxed about paying household bills as her OH took care of things like that for her for 62 years, very nice, but hard for her now she is alone. I always did the budgets and bills when my OH was alive, and so after I lost him I knew exactly what had to be paid and how to sort things out . But not every one is the same and I can understand her confusion, but with all the helpful advice thats been posted on here and various links I am sure we can help her sort things out shortly It was the household state pension thats been reduced I am hoping she will be able to get a bit of her OH's state pension which will help her.I know when I was widowed I got part of my OH's pension, so fingers crossed
Thanks once again chums
JackieO xx0 -
there is a possibility that one of her Grandsons may buy her house next year,
It would be as well to have her property valued by a RICS qualified surveyor, if a family member is the purchaser.
In view of your friend's age, I wonder whether she would be eligible to rent sheltered accommodation through a housing association or the local authority?
She would have the capital from the sale of her property to finance the rent and a comfortable lifestyle, the property would be adapted for use by an older person and maintained without her having to worry about it.0
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