Pension Credit ?

always_skint

Can someone please advise me on how long it takes for PCG to start being paid from application to actually appearing in my bank account ?

I am 64 and finishing work next week and applying for PCG, I have no savings to fall back on and I have no idea how I am going to survive if I have no income for a number of weeks/months.

And for those wondering why I should go onto PCG 6 months before retirement age.

Married with one child still in full education for another year.
No adult dependants living with us.
No private pension.
Rent £70.01 pw
C-Tax £25 pw

Work
40 hrs = £202 net pw
WTC = £39.50 pw
CTC = £50.42 pw
HB/CT Benefit = nil.


According to .gov site
PCG
£202 pw
HB/CT benefit = full

CTC £50.42 ( will this still be paid to us ? )

Perr

Pension credit is £132 a week and you should get full HB and C Tax.

always_skint

Perr wrote: »

Pension credit is £132 a week and you should get full HB and C Tax.

Plus £70 a week for my partner which makes it £202 a week, so I'm led to believe.

Whiteknight

The amount for a couple is £202.40 a week, I'm assuming that your partner has no income coming into the household and as I said before when you asked a similar question it would all depend on what needed to be verified. If it is just WTC your getting then it should be pretty straight forward for them to confirm when any WTC run on will end.

Pension Credit does tend to get paid in arrears these days but I'm sure your wages would also be paid in a similar way.

dodger1

Mine came through about three weeks after applying.

oldestrocker

dodger1 wrote: »

Mine came through about three weeks after applying.

Gosh!!! that was quick!!!

I understand having chatted to the Pension Service recently that they estimate from claim being submitted to payment is up to 20 weeks.
Some get it earlier, and some probably later - it all depends on how complicated your affairs are and how much checking they need to do.

frank_begbie

Pretty sure you can apply for Pension Credit 3 or 4 months before its due to be paid.

suelees1

There is no way on this earth that the Pension Service should take 20 weeks or so to process a claim. I do know this has been happening and is sometimes taking even longer (I work as an adviser). Any such delay is diabolical and completely unreasonable and you should get your MP involved so he or she can hopefully intervene on your behalf.

Make an advance claim before you finish work

oldestrocker

suelees1 wrote: »

There is no way on this earth that the Pension Service should take 20 weeks or so to process a claim. I do know this has been happening and is sometimes taking even longer (I work as an adviser). Any such delay is diabolical and completely unreasonable and you should get your MP involved so he or she can hopefully intervene on your behalf.

Make an advance claim before you finish work

Yes I know too, a family friend claimed it in October 2009, and the first payment was made (with backpay) the following March!!
On top of that, that didn't include their housing costs, as the form they filled in and sent to the building society was lost - and so was the second!!! The third was completed in September 2010, and as recent as last week, it still hasn't been paid as they are asking a whole load of questions about their current income and savings. The reply went back at the start of October 2010 and nothing heard since. No matter how many telephone calls you make, you never get through to the section dealing with the claim, nor do they seem to pass on messages that you have rung and are expecting a return call.
We just sit and wait and wait - hoping for a brown envelope to arrive with the postman.

Up to now they have funded their £300 mortgage out of savings for the past 12 months.
The worse part about it is that when it is eventually sorted, they won't see a penny of that money as it will be used to reduce the morgage debt instead. It won't be given back to put their savings back to what it should be. I fear for those without savings and not able to make the mortgage payments whilst waiting. That's not fair, but what is fair in life?

Ooops sorry forgot something. How on earth do you make a claim 3/4 months in advance? Surely when you fill the form in you are certifying your income and capital on the date the application is made. How would you know what you would have that far in advance?

suelees1

you can make a claim up to 4 months in advance and like any other claims you disclose any changes to them.

oldestrocker

suelees1 wrote: »

you can make a claim up to 4 months in advance and like any other claims you disclose any changes to them.

I never knew that. They must have missed the info on that in the booklet they got.

I daren't tell them now!!