Pension Credits rip off

maggy50

My OH has pension credit 3.00 per week it was reduced due to increase in pension coming up in April.

You are wrong to assume that you qualify for a rent or council tax free situation.

We pay rent and council tax from our pension .

It is a misconception that pension credit is a passport to an open door !
in being able to claim certain benefits.

Pollycat

maggy50 wrote: »

My OH has pension credit 3.00 per week it was reduced due to increase in pension coming up in April.

You are wrong to assume that you qualify for a rent or council tax free situation.

We pay rent and council tax from our pension .

It is a misconception that pension credit is a passport to an open door !
in being able to claim certain benefits.

I think it depends if you are getting the Guarantee Pension Credit or Savings Pension Credit.

If you are getting GPS, you should be claiming Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit.

margaretclare

jamesd wrote: »

That's exactly how Pension Credit is supposed to work. It's a safety net above minimum needs, not intended to make people well off.

The state pensions are for people who have put money away in that for their working lives and is in part to make people who paid in better off than they would be on means tested benefits.

Like everything else, these changes will work well for some, less well for others.

For DH and me, because we each get SRP in our own right, the 5.20% will apply to each of us. In addition, we each get S2P (used to be SERPS). He gets a lot more of it than I do because he was never contracted-out, but the 5.20% also applies to both our S2P.

McKneff, I sympathise, but I wouldn't want any of the other means-tested benefits. I have a lifetime of standing on my own feet and will do so as long as I have feet to stand on. I know that you were one of those women who were conned into paying the so-called 'small stamp' and therefore don't qualify for SRP in your own right. Thank goodness this option is no longer available. I am thankful that I discovered the truth about this con in time. If ever there was a 'rip-off' then that was it. Paying full NI contributions was one of the best choices I ever made.

bigfreddiel

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

The purpose of PC is to make your total income up to

• £137.35 if you are single
• £209.70 if you have a partner

My partner only gets £102 - how does she claim PC?

sleepless_saver

bigfreddiel wrote: »

My partner only gets £102 - how does she claim PC?

But what do you get? You are assessed as a couple for pension credit in the same way as any other income related benefit.

sleepless_saver

State pension is going up 5.2% in April 2012. Guarantee pension credit is going up by 3.9%, But savings pension credit is going down. The maximum savings pension credit for a single person goes down from £20.52 to £18.54, and for a couple from £27.09 to 23.73.

I expect there will be a lot of people confused about why their pension credit is reducing. Savings pension credit recipients will get less of an increase than people getting no pension credit or getting only guarantee pension credit.

McKneff

margaretclare wrote: »

Like everything else, these changes will work well for some, less well for others.

For DH and me, because we each get SRP in our own right, the 5.20% will apply to each of us. In addition, we each get S2P (used to be SERPS). He gets a lot more of it than I do because he was never contracted-out, but the 5.20% also applies to both our S2P.

McKneff, I sympathise, but I wouldn't want any of the other means-tested benefits. I have a lifetime of standing on my own feet and will do so as long as I have feet to stand on. I know that you were one of those women who were conned into paying the so-called 'small stamp' and therefore don't qualify for SRP in your own right. Thank goodness this option is no longer available. I am thankful that I discovered the truth about this con in time. If ever there was a 'rip-off' then that was it. Paying full NI contributions was one of the best choices I ever made.

Actually I agree with you entirely, Im a big fan of being responsible for me and mine. and quite happy to do so. We have more than enough to live on on a month to month basis without means teste benefits, as we both have small p/pensions, which probably like you we planned in advance.

I did actually pay full stamp for the last 20 years of my working life, but this only meant i qualified for 50% or pension, in hindsight, I neednt have bothered as I claimed 60% on OHs contributions, but hey ho, swings and roundabouts.

seven-day-weekend

bigfreddiel wrote: »

My partner only gets £102 - how does she claim PC?

The £209 is for total income, so this is for two people. If your wife is getting £102, then you must be getting less than £107 if you as a couple are to be entitled to Guaranteed Pension Credit.

margaretclare

Yes, private pensions. How many times I was laughed at by colleagues for (1) paying full NI and (2) paying into the NHS pension scheme at a time when it was possible to stay out of it by the simple expedient of keeping your hours just below full-time. I've even saved in pension schemes since leaving the NHS. People who laughed at me then are not laughing now.

bigfreddiel

sleepless_saver wrote: »

But what do you get? You are assessed as a couple for pension credit in the same way as any other income related benefit.

i'm not retired or near sp age - my partner gets her own sp in her own name and is only £102/week (approx) - when I reach sp age I get mine in my own name