Please please opinion needed

luvtv

I was seriously ill 4 years ago and have been unable to work since then

I have been living on Income Support (Inc mortgage payments after 39 weeks) Incapacity Benefit, CT Benefit, DLA(higest) Mobility (highest)

I worked for the same company for 28 years prior to this.

In the beginning I asked RMPI to pay my pension early due to ill health Only now have the Trustees decided to pay my full enhanced pension and lump sum They have also decided to backdate it to when I first claimed.

This adds up to a large lump sum

My money should be through any day now Obviously I will not be entitled to any means tested benefits Does anyone know if there will be any claw back of these benefits? also how would things like free glasses, dental and prescriptions be viewed?

An opinion from any of you benefit bods would be much appreciated

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GlasweJen

I don't think they'll ask for the money back as you didn't have access to it when you made the application. Depending on how much you get you'll lose/reduce your income support and council tax benefit. As income support is the "passport" to help with health costs then if you don't qualify for that any more then you wont qualify for free prescriptions/glasses voucher/dentist. If you're income support is just reduced then you will still get that help.

luvtv

GlasweJen wrote: »

I don't think they'll ask for the money back as you didn't have access to it when you made the application. Depending on how much you get you'll lose/reduce your income support and council tax benefit. As income support is the "passport" to help with health costs then if you don't qualify for that any more then you wont qualify for free prescriptions/glasses voucher/dentist. If you're income support is just reduced then you will still get that help.

Thanks for that much obliged

I will definately not qualify for the means tested benefits by dint of the lump sum alone plus four weekly pension is to commence on Friday

Just calling up the DWP this morning with the news

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Kimitatsu

As the claims you made when you made your application were correct then you have not comitted any sort of fraud and you were entitled to those benefits at the time.

I dont know how old you are, but it may be worth ringing the pension credits people and seeing if you are entitled to anything there.

Prescription costs you can reduce by getting a prepayment certificate (costs about £100 ish pounds a year), and places such as Boots do reductions for over 60's etc. Dental costs you may be better off subscribing to a plan such as denplan or something similar as for a flat rate every month you can get all of your dental costs (with a couple of exceptions) covered.

seven-day-weekend

Also, if your Occupational Pension is more than £85 a week, Incapacity Benefit will reduce by 50p inthe £1 for evey £1 over that £85. So if your Occupational Pension is £100 a week, IB will reduce by £7.50 a week.

luvtv

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Also, if your Occupational Pension is more than £85 a week, Incapacity Benefit will reduce by 50p inthe £1 for evey £1 over that £85. So if your Occupational Pension is £100 a week, IB will reduce by £7.50 a week.

Thats interesting I was not aware of that My OP is going to be @ £1600 every four weeks after tax so I prolly wont get any IB???

I am not to worried though as I will now have ample to cover my bills especially as I will still be receiving my DLA and Mobility

Life should be a lot easier for me now.

I am taking on board about the Pension Credit and getting the prepayment certificate for my (16) monthly prescriptions Thanks for the info

BTW I am 51

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seven-day-weekend

As you say, for that amount of Occupational Pension you will probably not get any money from your IB. However, as I understand, you will still retain an entitlement to it and this is quite important as you will still be credited with your NI, which counts towards your State Pension.

luvtv

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

As you say, for that amount of Occupational Pension you will probably get any money from your IB. However, as I understand, you will still retain an entitlement to it and this is quite important as you will still be credited with your NI, which counts towards your State Pension.

I will make sure I get the credits

State Pension seems like a life time away but you never know

Thanks for all the help and info

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:T:T:T:T

seven-day-weekend

You will be eligible for State Pension at 65, so only fourteen years away! It will soon creep up on you!

Oldernotwiser

Although the OP has done nothing wrong, is everybody sure that she won't have to pay back the benefits she's already received, on the basis that, if she'd got them at the start of the claim, she wouldn't have been eligible to claim?

I don't know whether or not this is the case but I wonder if the possibility is being discounted too quickly. It could be the same situation as someone having to repay benefits when they receive a compensation payment.

luvtv

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Although the OP has done nothing wrong, is everybody sure that she won't have to pay back the benefits she's already received, on the basis that, if she'd got them at the start of the claim, she wouldn't have been eligible to claim?

I don't know whether or not this is the case but I wonder if the possibility is being discounted too quickly. It could be the same situation as someone having to repay benefits when they receive a compensation payment.

:lipsrseal Looks like you might be right I called up JC+ and they have said the decision maker will look at it

The Lump Sum I get from the pension fund is ok but the backdated Pension will be subject to HMRC tax for the relevant dates it would have been received as IB is a taxable benefit but not Income Support

Also LA may want to claw back CT Benefit

Anyway a nice lump sum and a four weekly pension still going to be better off than what I was so not to worry

Happy Daze and thanks for all the replies I will let you know the outcome

Where's Sir Fred Goodwin when you need him??? :rotfl::rotfl:

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