over 80

suelees1

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

This does not always apply in the case of Guaranteed Pension Credit. If the personal concerned has an Assessment Period (they will be told in the letter confirming Guaranteed Pension Credit if they have it), they do not even have to notify the DWP even if they won the Lottery during that period.

We've already been through this poppasmurf

poppasmurf_bewdley

suelees1 wrote: »

We've already been through this poppasmurf

Better to be told twice than not at all! :j

athome

Thanks again for your advice. It seems certain that any inheritance does not have to be 'reported' although she is on guaranteed pension credit AIP because of her age 90 +. Seems like if you make it that far you can just get on and enjoy it!!

poppasmurf_bewdley

athome wrote: »

Seems like if you make it that far you can just get on and enjoy it!!

And indeed - why not! Hope I make it that far!

meadowlane104

hi...just read your posts,i had no idea about this,with savings i just thought if you had over 10,000 you had your benifits altered, [pension credit advisor came to visit my mam in december after my father passed away altered her pension,asked if she had savings over 10000,which was no,seen and checked her bank accounts,now since my dads insurance has come through she now has over 10,000,about 14 i think,now ive got to declare this as change of circumstance,....or have i?? i dont understand,my mam is nearly 84,she has pension credit,attendance allowence and pension..state not private..i think she has in the pension credit,guarenteed credit and savings credit....many many thanks..

Pollycat

meadowlane
this post sums it up:

suelees1 wrote: »

Yes it's the Assessed Income Period (AIP) which is the crux of whether it will be disregarded. In this case you could win the lottery and it would be disregarded.

Only if you're NOT in an AIP will capital be taken into consideration as headouthesand says.

If you've had an AIP applied the money will be ignored. By the way it doesn't have to be indefinite but it's preferable. However indefinite is better because if it was a shorter period the Pension Service could look at how much you have left at the end of any AIP

Call the Pension Service to query the status of your current claim.

You need to find out if your Mum has an Assessed Income Period (AIP) for Pension Credit.

If she is, she doesn't need to tell DWP of any change in her savings - regarding pension credit.

If she doesn't have an AIP, she will have to notify them.

I rang DWP (as did the OP) when Mum & Dad came into some money and was told that as they had an AIP, they would continue to receive pension credit until the end of that AIP - even if they won the lottery.

I'm not sure about the rules covering change of financial circumstances for AA.

meadowlane104

thank you, ill check up if that is on my mothers pension credit first, im not sure either about the attentance allowence,she has half taken off for carers bill,they charge you half of it,,maybe they will charge more now then theres council tax,she doesnt have any housing benifit,plus my mother has just been admitted to hospital,thats another change of circumstance to report..no end to it all..thank you...

Pollycat

Re Council tax benefit - I think the limit on savings is £16K unless she gets guarantee pension credit in which case the amount of savings doesn't come into it for CTB.

meadowlane104

hi...ive checked my mother pension credit and it says assessed income period on it,also she has savings credit onit and also it says guarenteed credit,she had only approx 3,ooo savings at time,this is begining of this year,now savings are at approx 14,000 due to not drawing her pension reguarly and my dads insurance money,so am i right in thinking that her council tax benifit and the pension credit wont be affected? should i still tell them anyway? thank you..

Pollycat

I have a booklet about Pension Credit.

It says:

if you have a AIP you must tell us about changes to:

• family
• where you live
• earining
• benefits, allowances, tax credits
• hospitals, care homes
• caring for someone
• going abroad
• coming from abroad

If you don't have a AIP, you must also tell us about changes to:

• savings & investments
• personal or occupational pensions
• income from annuities

So it seems to say you don't need to tell them about the money your Mum has inherited because she has a AIP.

However, it may be best to be up front and tell them anyway (and the Council).
That way, you know your Mum won't be getting benefits she's not entitled to and she won't worry about it (my Mum would worry).

Did your Mum's state pension increase after your dad dies?

My Mum's did, she inherited some of my Dad's state pension which (together with the small widow's pension she gets) took her over the limit to qualify for guarantee pension credit which had the knock-on effect that she also lost her housing benefit and council tax benefit.