Pension Credits Deceased Grandparent

Mojisola

If they were on Pension Credit while Grandad was alive, they probably had an "assessed income period" when it wouldn't matter how much money they accumulated over the £10,000 limit. That would be worth finding out.

When Grandad died, the AIP would have come to an end and Nan's position reassessed. If, at this point, she had over £10,000, PC would be affected.

As you have no way of knowing at what point their savings passed the £10k limit and how quickly/slowly they increased since Grandad died, it's going to be a case of guesswork all round. The DWP will probably try for a big amount and you'll have to argue if you think they're asking for too much.

Your Mum can't be asked to pay back more than there is in the estate. She is not personally liable for their debts.

Mojisola

mgdavid wrote: »

But I see no tie-up between the found money and the benefits agencies. AFAIK the latter do not see a copy of the will nor run any automatic checks after death.

They do............

atush

Technically speaking, the PC paid was paid in error because of undeclared savings. So technically, this could perhaps be asked to be paid back from the estate. But when and for how long the extra money was there would be hard to determine.

I could see a claim being made, but i am not sure how they deal with this, and if the agency concerned would check on this routinely. Ie do they routinely check the estate of every claimant who receives PC ?

I can see above now, that some say they do check.

So i guess you'd have to argue hard the money was built up during Dad's lifetime, as with more money money coming in it was easier to save. You could also argue he hid the money and the mother didn't know about it/where it was. Or all of it anyway.

Sounds like a big fat mess.

xylophone

We knew that they had been keeping money in the flat rather than declare it, but thought it was in the hundreds certainly not the thousands!

They didn't declare it because....?

kidmugsy

McKneff wrote: »

I know I may be slated for this but Im not sure I could be as 'honest' as your mum.....

A pal of mine declared over a beer once that he'd always pay tax honestly - as long as it was a tax on which the state hadn't cheated him. So he'd pay income tax he said. But he'd happily cheat on Inheritance Tax because the state cheated him over his mother's estate. I thought that was an interesting view.

On the matter in hand, it's the looming threat of endless hassle that might make many people stay silent, I'd guess. Or own up, if that promised less hassle (which in this case it wouldn't).