Pension credit query

Froglet

If my husband leaves work ,and isn't entitled to job seekers,but i know he would qualify for pension credit,are there rules that say he would be penalised like the job seekers is? ie because he left of his own accord?Also ,i have done a form online that states he would get a little pension credit as we have savings,but would they also insist he starts taking personal pensions?

I know i can ring up and ask and there is nothing on the form that asks if you actually have them,but i just wondered if anyone was in this situation? I am going through hell at the moment trying to persuade him to stay,he only has 4 more years to go but he says he has worked all his life and deserves a bit of relaxation.

Oldernotwiser

Froglet wrote: »

i just wondered if anyone was in this situation? I am going through hell at the moment trying to persuade him to stay,he only has 4 more years to go but he says he has worked all his life and deserves a bit of relaxation.

Presumably you work.

Pollycat

Froglet wrote: »

I am going through hell at the moment trying to persuade him to stay,he only has 4 more years to go but he says he has worked all his life and deserves a bit of relaxation.

How old is your husband?
How old are you?

Do you mean your husband has 4 years to go to get his state pension?

If so, that means he must be under 65 and DirectGov website says:

If you are aged 65 or over and living in Great Britain you may be entitled to Savings Credit. You may get the Savings Credit on its own or with the Guarantee Credit. You may be entitled to Savings Credit if you:

• are aged 65 or over
• have made some provision towards your retirement such as savings or a second pension

If you have a partner, at least one of you must be 65 or over to get the Savings Credit

so he wouldn't qualify for Pension Savings Credit.

Froglet

Yes i work but only one day a week with no chance of any more hours.I also have 2 elderly and sick members of the family i care for,which takes up a lot of time.I am 58, he will be 61 in January.
We can get the guaranteed pension credit but not the savings,no.I have inputted all our details into a rough ready reckoner,it come out at very little,less than the jobseekers.

mardatha

Not sue I can help but I can tel you that my husband asked at the JC about leaving work and they told him about PC. Its not a lot though, same level as social security (not sure what they call that now ) but you get full rent/CT rebate, free dental care and optician. We lived ok on it for 4 years. I didnt want him going back to work after 3 heart attacks, so we were happy with that.

Whiteknight

Froglet wrote: »

If my husband leaves work ,and isn't entitled to job seekers,but i know he would qualify for pension credit,are there rules that say he would be penalised like the job seekers is? ie because he left of his own accord?Also ,i have done a form online that states he would get a little pension credit as we have savings,but would they also insist he starts taking personal pensions?

I know i can ring up and ask and there is nothing on the form that asks if you actually have them,but i just wondered if anyone was in this situation? I am going through hell at the moment trying to persuade him to stay,he only has 4 more years to go but he says he has worked all his life and deserves a bit of relaxation.

He will not be penalised for leaving a job to claim Pension Credit.

As for the private pensions he has NO - ONE can force him to take them early but they will find out if he could take them early and how much he could get - they would then take this amount in to consideration when considering any award of Pension Credit.

Froglet

I presume,Mardatha then that he wasn't penalised for leaving work ?i can't see anywhere that says you would be nor asks about pension schemes.

Just trying to get as much info as poss together. I dread him coming home every night and saying he's had enough and either handed in his notice or walked out.He has a bi**h of a boss and before anyone says about constructive dismissal,yes we have looked at that too.So he does have his reasons ,it is not just on a whim but it is still a real worrry every day.

Froglet

Whiteknight wrote: »

He will not be penalised for leaving a job to claim Pension Credit.

As for the private pensions he has NO - ONE can force him to take them early but they will find out if he could take them early and how much he could get - they would then take this amount in to consideration when considering any award of Pension Credit.

Well if they do that,and I suppose they have every right,we may very well get nothing.The way they are going down in value we had wanted to leave them for another 4 years in the hope they would recover.

I sometimes wish we had wasted every penny we earned the last 20 years we've been together,then we would be entitled to everything.Over the 44 years my husband has worked he has paid in enough to deserve it.No good being bitter i suppose and i would still rather have the security of a few savings ,even if they don't last long.

mardatha

"I dread him coming home every night and saying he's had enough and either handed in his notice or walked out.He has a bi**h of a boss"
******************

My OH was exactly the same pet, his boss I think caused the heart attacks in the first place! He went off sick and was looking in the JC for other work, and somebody in the JC told him about pension credit. he said it was more or less a dodge to get the unemployment figures down. My OH was def still employed at the time he started JC. So get him to go along to the JC and discuss this. (It was guarantee part not savings we got)
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/claiming-benefits/pension-credit/

Froglet

Thank you so much for that.It is best to be as informed as possible about these matters,i am having too many sleepless nights as it is.I hate to see him unhappy and he has tried in the last year to change jobs.Once you hit the big 60 it seems to me employers think you are incapable,though he is a hard worker.

I know the job market is extra hard at the moment as well.

suelees1

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but he's not old enough to get Guarantee Pension Credit as the goal posts have moved. There are some websites which can give you the earliest date he might be entitled as it will depend on his birthday