£85 rule re IB payments.

Garnet_Gem

Here I go again, but you've all helped me help my sister understand her way around the benfits system. She's claimed IB since January and has now taken early retirement. Her pension is £9200 a year. Her pension payments started 2 months ago and although she informed the DWP by phone, her IB has continued to be paid at the full rate. She spoke to someone else (staff don't ever seem to give the same answer as the person at the next desk!) and is awaiting a form to declare her income. She realises that she'll have to pay back some IB but can anyone tell her:

1 - Do they take it all out of her bank account at once or do they take so much per month?

2 - How much (if any) IB will she get now. She's just gone onto the next rate - £72 something weekly, I believe. How can she check if she's been given the correct money?

3 - Was she a fool for declaring this money? Most people seem to think "they'll never find out" but my sister is an honest person and couldn't do that.

Facts and opinions please. Thanks in advance.

seven-day-weekend

Right, for every £1 of pension over £85 they take away 50p. So if I have done my sums right (which is doubtful) they'll take around £45 off.

I don't know whether they will take any overpayment all at once.

She certainly is not a fool to be honest. It is the right thing to do. My husband is in the sme position - he is on IB and an Occupational Pension. He has £29 taken off his IB. Anyway they DO find out - they told my husband he had a pension before he told them! (He would have told them of course).

Hope she enjoys her retirement.

Garnet_Gem

Thanks for the info, SDW. I'm so grateful for this forum - you all give better help than the official lines set up by the DWP!

Morglin

If she gets DLA (care) at the highest rate, then no money is deducted from her IB because of her pension.

Lin