HB and Employer's Pension Contributions

bankypanky

I had calculated my likely housing benefit entitlement on www.entitledto.org.uk and it came back at around £80 per week. My calculation letter has just arrived and says £30 per week.

I don't know what to attribute this to but am wondering how they treat my contributions to my employer's pension scheme? These are deducted directly from my salary.

Can anyone tell me if these contributions are included in my weekly income for the purpose of working out my entitlement? I can't find guidance online about this and the calculations shown on the letter are as incomprehensible as ever.

Many thanks.

MsShorty

They disregard 1/2 of your pension contributions and add the other 1/2 to your net income.

This is the figure they use to calculate the Housing Benefit.

Hope this makes sense.

bankypanky

Thanks, Ms Shorty

This does make sense and I suspected it might be something like that.

It still doesn't explain the big discrepancy between the entitledto site and the actual entitlement they have calculated though, as the online calculator does ask about pension contributions.

I appreciate that no-one can advise further without my actual figures so I won't pursue this on the forum.

I would, however, be interested to know whether anyone else has noticed this issue with the online calculator?

Banky

MsShorty

Have you tried your local council's website. They usually have their own calculator on there.

I always read through the housing benefit award and work through the calculations and the figures they have put in, just to check their calculations.

I have never used 'entitled to', so can't help on that one.

I am sure someone will be along with some experience of 'entitled to', to compare their experience of using that site.

bankypanky

My council site tells me to go to Direct Gov website (I told you they were a little under-funded!). That still gives me the higher figure.

I will sit down later and scrutinise their figures and maybe come up with something. It is my day off, after all!

Thanks for your help!

Banky