Survivors Pension and benefits

hips12

I have been going around in circles trying to find an answer to this question, with no luck whatsoever.
My question is : What affect does a Survivors Pension have on receipt of benefits?
I have tried filling in the "entitled to and turn2us benefit calculators " but they ask for details of PERSONAL pensions but not beneficiary pensions.
I recently discovered that as I am on DLA MRC my son's income is disregarded for Housing Benefit so I could have been entitled to it for the last 2 years instead of paying full rent and co tax.
I'm not sure though how I go about including the monthly income I receive from my late husbands company pension, and if that is included in my income for housing benefit assessment or not?
Do I just include it under Pension Income, even though i am not receiving it as my own pension?
I was told by the DWP that it won't be assessed in my award for ESA ( migrating from IB and have been informed by ATOS that I should be in Support Group...no medical ) but now that I am considering filling in the Housing Benefit forms I'm not sure where I stand on this.
Is it the case that HB is means-tested so I need to include it somewhere on the form?
Any advice gratefully received.

Many thanks

xylophone

even though i am not receiving it as my own pension?

But it is your income and as such should be declared?

hips12

xylophone wrote: »

But it is your income and as such should be declared?

Sorry, what I meant was it is not my own personal pension, and that is the wording used on the forms ie do you receive a Personal or Occupational Pension...hence the confusion.
My husband passed away at the age of 49 and was in his company pension scheme and I am his beneficiary, therefore I receive a payment from the company each month.

Not trying to get out of anything, or hide anything, just unsure of where to include this payment on forms.
Thanks

seven-day-weekend

You receive payment of an Occupational Pension.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

It is treated as income.

The DWP should be treating it as income.

It is your own pension as you receive it irrespective of who paid into the original pension fund.

hips12

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

It is treated as income.

The DWP should be treating it as income.

It is Ayour own pension as you receive it irrespective of who paid into the original pension fund.

The DWP are totally aware of this income, they send me a form to declare what I am receiving from my late husbands pension fund, periodically, as it increases each year.
I asked them on Friday if this would now have any bearing on my ESA as it didn't on my IB and she said it would be treated the same as it was for IB.

As I said, i am not trying to get out of anything, just not sure what section to declare it under on forms I have to fill in, as a Beneficiary Pension isn't always taken into account.
I do however have to pay tax on it as it put my income above the tax threshold.

Thanks

Horseunderwater

From the sound of it - you are on contributions based ESA as you have transferred over from IB which is what that was. Are you in the Support group or the Work related group? If the former then contributions will go on indefinitely, but the latter will only last a year.

hips12

Horseunderwater wrote: »

From the sound of it - you are on contributions based ESA as you have transferred over from IB which is what that was. Are you in the Support group or the Work related group? If the former then contributions will go on indefinitely, but the latter will only last a year.

I only have the word of ATOS at the moment, but they have recommended Support Group, no medical required, to the DWP.
I'm just awaiting confirmation in writing ( advisor I spoke to in the re-assessment dept on Friday said she doubted that would be changed by a decision maker )

Thanks again

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Any income would have to be notified to your Local Council in the assessment of any Housing Benefit claim or Local Council Tax Support.

Although the DWP say they disregard it - this doesn't mean the council will.

hips12

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

Any income would have to be notified to your Local Council in the assessment of any Housing Benefit claim or Local Council Tax Support.

Althsough the DWP say they disregard it - this doesn't mean the council will.

Thanks.
I'm really not expecting them to disregard it, just want to know if I fill it in as pension income or other income.
For example when I check my entitlements on sites such as "entitled to" or the "gov benefits advisor" it asks for personal or occupational pension and then further down "other income" I never know if it comes under pension or other?

hips12

Ok I have realised that my question should have been: When filling in forms does a Survivors pension (ie a pension I receive from my late husbands company pension) come under Personal Pension, Occupational Pension or Other Income ?

Thanks