Benefits for over 60s?

roundtheworld

My Dad got made redundant a couple of years ago at 59 after working his entire life. He spent a long time looking for work, eventually falling into a depression when places like B& Q were turning him down. He finally got a manual job doing heavy duty gardening for £5 hr but damaged his knee, ending in a knee operation. He is a very proud man and doesnt like the idea of claiming benefits, so my mum is working 7 days a week to keep the house running. My question is! (sorry wanted to paint the picture first) Is he entitled to benefits? He says he is not but i find it hard to believe that after working your whole life you are entitled to nothing. Can anyone help me?

terryw

Free bus pass. Free prescriptions. Some subsidized things like third off rail fares with senior railpass.

viv0147

Your father can get pension credit he qualifies at the age of 60, at the moment he would be entitled to £132 a week, plus once he is receiving pension credit he will be entitled to other benefits.

healy

viv0147 wrote: »

Your father can get pension credit he qualifies at the age of 60, at the moment he would be entitled to £132 a week, plus once he is receiving pension credit he will be entitled to other benefits.

If he qualified for PC it would be the couple rate and that would depend on how much his wife was earning a week.

terryw

But mum is working 7 days a week. so no pension credit.

idvi

roundtheworld wrote: »

My Dad got made redundant a couple of years ago at 59 after working his entire life. He spent a long time looking for work, eventually falling into a depression when places like B& Q were turning him down. He finally got a manual job doing heavy duty gardening for £5 hr but damaged his knee, ending in a knee operation. He is a very proud man and doesnt like the idea of claiming benefits, so my mum is working 7 days a week to keep the house running. My question is! (sorry wanted to paint the picture first) Is he entitled to benefits? He says he is not but i find it hard to believe that after working your whole life you are entitled to nothing. Can anyone help me?

£5 an hour is less than min wage
was the job on the books/above board?

if his health isn't that good he could always try and claim esa?

terryw

idvi wrote: »

£5 an hour is less than min wage
was the job on the books/above board?

if his health isn't that good he could always try and claim esa?

If dad was working then SSP would kick in first. ESA is claimed would only apply if he had the necessary NI contributions - claiming income based would fail as wife works.