Incapacity Benefit

sospanfach1

hi all first time i have posted.
i am just passed 60 years old,been caring for my mother in law for years with my wife,that was untill a few months ago. we have a small income from rent we have from 3 properties we bought in the housing boom(all these have 85% mortgages on them)when i say income i mean about £100 MONTH the rest of our living expenses are from savings. of recently my health has started to go downhill would i be entitled to incapacity benefit.
would be thankful for any replies

stazi

IB is a contibutory benefit, so it will depend on what is on your NI record for the tax years 05/06 & 06/07. You need to tell us what you were doing in these years so that someone can answer your question.

sospanfach1

Hi
Thanks for reply for the last 6 years my wife and i have been classed as carers so no ni contributions but have paid full ni all my life

suelees1

Based on your actual income from rental you would probably be entitled to Pension Credit. The big BUT here is the amount of capital you have either by way of savings and/or equity in the properties you own.

By the way nice name - little saucepan isn't? I can't get the song out of my head now!

sospanfach1

Tried pension credit no chance because of savings and equity in houses,never been on benefits in my whole life so this is all new to me took my wife and i a long time to claim carers allowance.

Yes your translation is spot on da iawn

stazi

Were you claiming Carer's Allowance during these tax years?

sospanfach1

wife was main carer and we had additional allowance for myself from 2002 untill this year

stazi

If it was your wife who claimed CA and not you, unless you have paid any NIC as either/and or self/employed, then your NI record will not qualify you for any contributory benefits such as IB.

sospanfach1

so i,m in between a rock and a hard place then cant return to work cant get pension credit or job seekers allowance,cant get incapacity benefit, after all these years working and paying into the system not claiming a penny when you need some help its not there
Any way thank you all for your help i appreciate your time

seven-day-weekend

I'm afraid you have not paid NI Contributions at the right time to get the Contributory Benefits such as Incapacity Benefit, and have too much capital for the means-tested ones such as Pension Credit.

Why don't you sell one of your houses and use that money?

Oldernotwiser

sospanfach1 wrote: »

so i,m in between a rock and a hard place then cant return to work cant get pension credit or job seekers allowance,cant get incapacity benefit, after all these years working and paying into the system not claiming a penny when you need some help its not there
Any way thank you all for your help i appreciate your time

You make it sound so awful, but in reality you own 3 properties (as well as your own home?) and have savings. Many people would give their eye teeth to be in your position! I agree with SDW, you need to sell at least one of your investment properties. Alternatively, is there any reason now why your wife's not working?