Split age couples and welfare reform

Wolfsbayne

Just wondering if there was any help available out there. Attended a bit of a talk on welfare reform today and a new issue came to my attention that I hadn't thought of before.

Currently, if one half of a couple is entitled to pension credit/pension then the household isn't affected by the housing bedroom tax or the council tax changes.

When universal credit is introduced, if one of the couple are under pension age then both of them are classed as working age and will now be subjected to paying for the extra bedroom and for supplementing the council tax support.

So will there be any help available? I know about discretionary housing benefit, I assume that this is it? This is going to affect a lot of older couples and I don't think it is something that has been highlighted particularly well, so far most people think if you get pension credit you're safe but I don't think many realise that they are potentially going to lose that pension credit!

anmarj

Wolfsbayne wrote: »

So will there be any help available? I know about discretionary housing benefit, I assume that this is it? This is going to affect a lot of older couples and I don't think it is something that has been highlighted particularly well, so far most people think if you get pension credit you're safe but I don't think many realise that they are potentially going to lose that pension credit!

not sure about anything else but if they are already in recepit of PC when universal credit comes in then they stay on Pension Credit, they are protected, it does not stops, it just means that unless they are both over SPA, then they have to apply for universal credit instead.

Wolfsbayne

I dont know, the welfare rights adviser today said that when universal credit comes in, if one is under pension credit age then they are classed as a working age couple and the other loses pension credit and thus are affected by the housing changes

but i've seen something else saying if its already claimed then it continues.

It's all very confusing!!

anmarj

Wolfsbayne wrote: »

I dont know, the welfare rights adviser today said that when universal credit comes in, if one is under pension credit age then they are classed as a working age couple and the other loses pension credit and thus are affected by the housing changes

but i've seen something else saying if its already claimed then it continues.

It's all very confusing!!

they have quoted incorrectly;).

Wolfsbayne

ok, thank you!

chesky

I think there are going to be a lot of mistakes made when U.C. comes in.

John_Pierpoint

anmarj wrote: »

they have quoted incorrectly;).

This is essentially a question about the proposed "empty bedrooms tax", which might be £13 a week per bedroom for those in "social" housing.
Might the proposals be different in Scotland?