Does LHA housing benefit include pension payments?

miamoo

If you claim for housing benefit, do the LHA include pension payments as your income, or are they disregarded the same as Tax credits?
(just a general question as it came up in another thread, that LHA only allow 50% of pension payments when working out your housing benefit allowance)

Oldernotwiser

miamoo wrote: »

If you claim for housing benefit, do the LHA include pension payments as your income, or are they disregarded the same as Tax credits?
(just a general question as it came up in another thread, that LHA only allow 50% of pension payments when working out your housing benefit allowance)

Do you mean money you receive from a pension or money you're paying into it?

miamoo

Sorry, I mean paying money into a pension. Paying it straight from wages, before tax and national insurance. Thanks

Oldernotwiser

miamoo wrote: »

Sorry, I mean paying money into a pension. Paying it straight from wages, before tax and national insurance. Thanks

I don't know, although think you may have been reading a thread on another board, as I did. (Apologies if that isn't the case.)

sunnyone

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I don't know, although think you may have been reading a thread on another board, as I did. (Apologies if that isn't the case.)

It was on this board as I read it.

xylophone

"Do you ignore any of my earnings?

Yes, we ignore a set amount of your earnings every week. The amount we ignore depends on your circumstances.

We count the money you earn from work after money has been taken out for:

Tax and National Insurance contributions and
half of any money you pay into a pension fund
We also do not count the first:

£5 of the money you earn each week, if you are single
£10 of the money you earn each week, if you are a couple
£20 of the money you earn each week, if you are disabled or
£25 of the money you earn each week, if you are a single parent
In certain circumstances if you work 16 hours or more, we also ignore an extra amount from your earnings."
The above from http://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/council_democracy__local_services/council_tax_and_benefits/benefits/629.asp

uganda

miamoo wrote: »

If you claim for housing benefit, do the LHA include pension payments as your income, or are they disregarded the same as Tax credits?
(just a general question as it came up in another thread, that LHA only allow 50% of pension payments when working out your housing benefit allowance)

Correct on pensions - 50% of your contribution will count as income. Hence if you earn £100, pay £10 tax, £5 national insurance and £5 pension, your net income will be deemed to be £82.50 because only £2.50 of the pension contribution is deducted for HB purposes.

Incorrect on tax credits - they count, often in their entirety, though there is a system of small disregards for certain things.