Do pension credits go up if given higher rate of dla?

gorgeousgeorge

My mother was receiving the low rate of dla and also has a motorbility (?) car/blue badge etc. She is also in receipt of pension credits bout £130pw i think. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and also diabetes back in october and is currently undergoing chemo, then radiotherapy. The Mcmillan nurses sorted it out so that she now receives the high rate of dla. I have heard that she can now get more pension credits??, I have tried to work it out on the calculator thing, but cant find how to put in about the car ( which comes out of her dla i think). She is in receipt of full housing benefit and c/t, and has savings and an isa totalling about £5500.
Do we have to inform pension credits of her rise in dla and do we have to inform H/B?
Im normally quite good in working benefits out, but this has confused me Is she entitled to more pension credits or less?
Cheers
Mel

p.s she doesnt have a carer

Indie_Kid

Yes it would. Does she live alone?

gorgeousgeorge

Hi, yes she does live alone ( and shes 63)

EltonJohnFan

Yes, she's entitled to a higher rate of Pension Credit, just like if she was on Income Support etc and receiving DLA concurrently.

gorgeousgeorge

Thank you , do we have to inform pension credits, or does it automatically go up now she is getting a higher rate dla? and also do we have to inform housing benefit of the increase in dla and the possible rise in pension credits?

Thank you
Mel

ETA, if she is entitled to more pension credits now that she is receiving high rate of dla, will this be backdated? she has only just received the higher rate ( which was backdated to when she was diagnosed with her illness)

Indie_Kid

gorgeousgeorge wrote: »

Thank you , do we have to inform pension credits, or does it automatically go up now she is getting a higher rate dla? and also do we have to inform housing benefit of the increase in dla and the possible rise in pension credits?

Don't rely on the departments to tell each other about the changes. The claimant should, imo, do that themself.

Housing benefit need to know to - this may adjust the amount they pay and the amount (if applicable) she pays towards her rent.

gorgeousgeorge

Thank you, we have just phoned pension credits, and it has been sorted out now and is being backdated to when she was diagnosed, and according to the benefits calculator, she is still entitled to full H/B and CTB Will certainly make a huge difference to her getting the extra money.