help - pension credit have sent my mother a letter saying they will be calling

rotoguys

p00hsticks wrote: »

Perhaps I've been lucky, but in my experience (not me, but my mother-in-law) a home visit such as this is partly to check there has been no change in circumstances, but mainly to make sure that the perosn on pension credit is aware of and claiming for all the other passported benefits that it entitles them to (off the top of my head, things like housing benefit, council tax benefit, NHS glasses , etc ) and helping them to complete the application forms if necessary.

Rotoboys, I am sure that if you are really that keen to stop receiving these means tested benefits against your will, then a simple letter to the DWP informing them that you have had a win on the lottery and therefore not longer qualify should suffice - I'm pretty sure that they won't demand to see proof.

It's not the claiming of the benefit that winds me up it is the insistent attitude of their staff and the council's as well to fill out the forms. They make me feel that I am 'in the wrong' if I say no.
Besides which they are very intrusive wanting to know everything about my wife and I. They even had the audacity to ask why we are receiving DLA/AA - that has nothing to do with them!

As you can see, it is the DWP and Council that annoy me, not the receiving of the money.

rotoguys

jetplane wrote: »

If the claimant has an asessed income period then even a lottery win won't stop the benefit

Many pensioners do not like the intrusion of claiming means tested benefit but if they refuse then they live below the minimum income level. I think the point is that many feel that the state pension should reach this minimum level to stop the intrusion of the means test.

Absolutely - I couldn't have put it any clearer!!

Newly_retired

I fail to understand why anyone should think that questions on a form about one's income are intrusive yet be happy to accept the money from a means-tested benefit.

rotoguys

Newly_retired wrote: »

I fail to understand why anyone should think that questions on a form about one's income are intrusive yet be happy to accept the money from a means-tested benefit.

I have posted this link elsewhere, but it will certainly give you the answer why this happens and that the Government & Age UK unfortunately accept it as well.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmworpen/411/41106.htm

The simple truth is that claimants do honestly object to the intrusive questioning.

rotoguys

krisskross wrote: »

I guess we would be one of the wealthier pensioners as we are not entitled to pension credit.

However as we worked between the 1950's and 2002 when there was for the most part plenty of work there is no reason why most people cannot have saved to provide for themselves in retirement. Unless of course they were ill.

It was ever thus that those entitled to extra money seek to take away from those who they see as slightly better off.

Pension credit with all the add ons puts many pensioners in a more favourable financial position than those marginally not entitled.

Yes you are perfectly right. Although I am a recipient of Pension Credit now - 6 years after I was entitled but never knew about it and never made a claim - I am embarrassed with the amount of money that is paid to us. Our income has risen to approx £650pw for the two of us if you take on board all of the extras. Previously it was £257pw.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=49872461&highlight=#post49872461

xylophone

rotoguys wrote: »

Yes you are perfectly right. Although I am a recipient of Pension Credit now - 6 years after I was entitled but never knew about it and never made a claim - I am embarrassed with the amount of money that is paid to us. Our income has risen to approx £650pw for the two of us if you take on board all of the extras. Previously it was £257pw.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=49872461&highlight=#post49872461

If you have too much for your needs I am sure that the local hospice could make use of the money.

rotoguys

xylophone wrote: »

If you have too much for your needs I am sure that the local hospice could make use of the money.

Or should not the government be doing something to reduce, what I believe, the amount that is being paid to some benefit claimants, be it that they are retired, single mothers etc?

Fot the government to agree that £650 is an acceptable amount of money for two elderly people to have to live on is, in my opinion, an insult to those that are unemployed or sick who have to live on £65 a week!!

I have actually written to the editor of the Daily Mail expressing my views, setting out exactly where the money comes from and asking this very same question.

If what we are getting is the 'norm' it is no wonder we never see disabled pensioners complaining about their entitlement!

seven-day-weekend

rotoguys wrote: »

It's not the claiming of the benefit that winds me up it is the insistent attitude of their staff and the council's as well to fill out the forms. They make me feel that I am 'in the wrong' if I say no.
Besides which they are very intrusive wanting to know everything about my wife and I. They even had the audacity to ask why we are receiving DLA/AA - that has nothing to do with them!

As you can see, it is the DWP and Council that annoy me, not the receiving of the money.

So don't claim it. Simple. It's not compulsory.

If you choose to claim it, imho they have ther right to verify your circumstances every so often.

My husband claims a small amount of Incapacity Benefit. and every so often has to fill in a questionnaire and/or attend a medical. I think it is only right and proper that they check on circumstances ro make sure people are still entitled to the Benefit.

It's public money after all.

agrinnall

rotoguys wrote: »

It's not the claiming of the benefit that winds me up it is the insistent attitude of their staff and the council's as well to fill out the forms. They make me feel that I am 'in the wrong' if I say no.
Besides which they are very intrusive wanting to know everything about my wife and I. They even had the audacity to ask why we are receiving DLA/AA - that has nothing to do with them!

As you can see, it is the DWP and Council that annoy me, not the receiving of the money.

According to the information I've found the Disability and Carers Service, who administer DLA and AA, are part of the DWP, so I'd say they are perfectly justified in wanting to know about it.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/about-dwp/customer-delivery/disability-and-carers-service/