Income Support and small Private Pension

Oldernotwiser

dalem wrote: »

Yes of course.

The last letter I have from the Benefits Agency is dated 21/02/11.
It's a two page letter and on the first page is this:

About your income support
From 12 April 2011 you will get £96.35 a week. This is because there will be a change to your Income Support rates.

Page two:
How your Income Support was worked out
For you £67.50
Because you are sick or disabled £28.85
Total ammount £96.35

DLA Care Component £0.00 £19.55 Is not counted
DLA Mobility Component £0.00 £51.40 Is not counted


Total Ammount of Income Support £96.35

I do not have any other means tested benefits or currently claiming for any.

Thanks.

EDIT: I am sure it is not ESA that I get and I have never been asked for a Medical, (Only at the very begining of my initial claim) about 5 years ago.

From the figures you've given, you seem to be getting IS (£67.50) with the disability premium (£28.50) on top.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/benefitrates2011.pdf
page #10.

As this is the case, then I'm afraid that it's correct that you pension should've been deducted pound for pound from your IS. Sorry.

dalem_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

From the figures you've given, you seem to be getting IS (£67.50) with the disability premium (£28.50) on top.

As this is the case, then I'm afraid that it's correct that you pension should've been deducted pound for pound from your IS. Sorry.

If that is the case do you have any idea when IB was changed into IS?
Because at the time of my phone call I was receiving IB and if they try to make me repay it surely it must only be from the date of changeover from IB to IS.

Thanks for all your help.

krisskross

dalem wrote: »

If that is the case do you have any idea when IB was changed into IS?
Because at the time of my phone call I was receiving IB and if they try to make me repay it surely it must only be from the date of changeover from IB to IS.

Thanks for all your help.[/QUOTE

Did you have sufficient NI contributions to claim actual IB or have you been receiving Income Support on sickness grounds because you didn't have sufficient NI contributions?

dalem_2

krisskross wrote: »

Did you have sufficient NI contributions to claim actual IB or have you been receiving Income Support on sickness grounds because you didn't have sufficient NI contributions?

I can't be 100% sure of the answer KrissKross until I call them on Monday. Sorry I can't be more specific.

real1314

1. IB was not changed to IS.

IS has been around since 1988. In some cases IS has been replaced by ESA(IB) but in terms of income rules this is just a name change. (The "(IB)" in ESA(IB) stands for Income Based, not Incapacity Benefit, which is what "IB" stands for on it's own).

2. IB was changed to ESA

IB was around from the mid 90s (replacing IVB) and has been replaced by ESA(C).


Anyone on IVB / IB / ESA(C) may have been moved through these benefits, but would not have been moved from IB to IS. IB is payable for life, subject to continuing Incapacity for work.


Therefore you cannot have been moved from IB to IS.

You might have been getting both (IB topped up by IS) in which case you will still be getting both.


3. If you have a pension available, in many cases you have to take it. Otherwise it would be treated as "Income available on application" and your benefit would be reduced even if you did not take it. :cool:

Oldernotwiser

dalem wrote: »

I can't be 100% sure of the answer KrissKross until I call them on Monday. Sorry I can't be more specific.

IB never changed to IS.

People were only awarded IS for illness/disability if they didn't have enough NICs to claim IB. If you were getting IB at the start of your claim, that should have been what you stayed on, unless they had to reassess you for some reason.

McKneff

. If you have a pension available, in many cases you have to take it. Otherwise it would be treated as "Income available on application" and your benefit would be reduced even if you did not take it.

Thats what I was trying to ask but just didnt know how to put it. I thought that was the case as I'd seen something similar on other threads.
Thanks.

real1314

McKneff wrote: »

. If you have a pension available, in many cases you have to take it. Otherwise it would be treated as "Income available on application" and your benefit would be reduced even if you did not take it.

Thats what I was trying to ask but just didnt know how to put it. I thought that was the case as I'd seen something similar on other threads.
Thanks.

Then click the thanks button, like it says in your post!

:cool:

Lou76

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

IB never changed to IS.

People were only awarded IS for illness/disability if they didn't have enough NICs to claim IB. If you were getting IB at the start of your claim, that should have been what you stayed on, unless they had to reassess you for some reason.

ONW, I was receiving IS & IB at the same time. No idea if this has changed, for newer claimants (my original IB claim was in 2004), but I was receiving both from 2005 - June 2011, when I started back to work at last.

Originally I was only entitled to IB, I'm guessing based on NI contributions, sadly not because of savings. For the first year I amassed £thousands in debt, just keeping a roof over my head & paying bills.

Ironically though, the following year I applied for & was granted DLA - LRM MRC, and, that entitled me to an IS top up. So, despite the fact I was receiving more money, I was entitled to even more plus mortgage interest (after a 39 week, I think it was, wait at the time) & full Council Tax benefit etc.

I obviously wasn't complaining, it was great to know that at least the mortgage company would be happy, and the other essential bills covered (my gas & elec sky rocketed being home 24/7), council tax paid etc without adding to my debt. I was hardly living the high life, not that I could've got out of bed anyway, even if I was. lol But it did seem a bit weird that I was suddenly deemed eligible, despite having more income than before.

Anyway, apologies for my tales of woe , but just wanted to explain that you can be in receipt of both IS & IB.

Oldernotwiser

Lou76 wrote: »

ONW, I was receiving IS & IB at the same time. No idea if this has changed, for newer claimants (my original IB claim was in 2004), but I was receiving both from 2005 - June 2011, when I started back to work at last.

Originally I was only entitled to IB, I'm guessing based on NI contributions, sadly not because of savings. For the first year I amassed £thousands in debt, just keeping a roof over my head & paying bills.

Ironically though, the following year I applied for & was granted DLA - LRM MRC, and, that entitled me to an IS top up. So, despite the fact I was receiving more money, I was entitled to even more plus mortgage interest (after a 39 week, I think it was, wait at the time) & full Council Tax benefit etc.

I obviously wasn't complaining, it was great to know that at least the mortgage company would be happy, and the other essential bills covered (my gas & elec sky rocketed being home 24/7), council tax paid etc without adding to my debt. I was hardly living the high life, not that I could've got out of bed anyway, even if I was. lol But it did seem a bit weird that I was suddenly deemed eligible, despite having more income than before.

Anyway, apologies for my tales of woe , but just wanted to explain that you can be in receipt of both IS & IB.

Thank you for clarifying this but I did ask the OP whether he was receiving IB topped up by IS in posts # 2 & 8.