Free Calculater. Surely cant be right???

Bushey

I Wonder if anyone may enlighten me please. My widowed 79 yr old mother in law has lived frugally all her life and always tells us she isnt entitled to any benefits inc tax credits etc (after previously speaking to some Council official?)
She has never claimed any benefits or recieved any help apart from a bereavment payment and the winter fuel allowance.
She believes she isnt entitled to anything else?
Would anyone comment please, I used the free calculator and find apparently she can claim benefits??? is this correct?
Details:
currently 79 yrs old but turns age 80 this march 2012
Income state pension =£138.00/week
private widows pension =£35.00/week
savings total inc cash & Isa =£15,000
council tax =£68/month
owns her own home (Purchased her council house)
gas elec water outgoings =£107/month

when I put these details in it says she could be entitled to weekly
pension garantee credit of £127
pension saving credit of £20.52
says she shouldnt have to pay council tax at all?
total benifit entitlement £149.80 per week.

Anyone comment on this, and if she does qualify where do we go from here and should she be claiming retrospectively ?

marshallka

I think you have mixed up the weekly payment for the yearly payment. It works out about £2 a week i think

pauletruth

i think you may have messed up somewhere. i did the calculation using the pensioner tax credit calculator using your data it says your mum in law could get £2.24 extra.

sleepless_saver

I make it £2.26 a week in savings pension credit, plus she should claim council tax benefit as she would get about £10 a week once she has been awarded the pension credit. (using turn2us.org.uk calculator)

Bushey

Now realise I inputted incorrectly, I put in £107/week instead of per month, Duh!!!!!!
Thanks for all your help.

Edinburghlass_2

Still worth your Mum claiming the pension credit though as it will reduce her council tax.