Couple in 80s

seven-day-weekend

nannytone wrote: »

attendance allowance isnt claimed ofr 'looking after each other'. it is claimed by the person that requires care and not the carer.
you are confusing this with claiming the carers premium

Sorry, that is what I meant. Just said it wrong!

margaretclare

They should definitely claim Attendance Allowance. This is designed to help people pay for things they need that they used to do for themselves, and help to avoid 'being a burden' as they say. It's about staying independent, quite the reverse of being a burden. AA is non-taxable and non-means-testable so is very useful.

As they each have different health needs, they can both claim it.

Indie_Kid

Have they had an assessment from social services? At the same time, they may get a benefits check.

margaretclare

cifpower wrote: »

I always get a little irked when someone says "paid taxes all my life". It doesn't really mean anything and implies that they are deserving of something extra.

This is something we see all the time. My reaction is: so what? So did we all.

This was a hard-working couple but, sadly, during their working lifetime they probably neglected to take care of their own pension entitlement beyond the basic state pension. As they each ran a business they won't have become entitled to SERPS/S2P and probably did not set up a private pension arrangement. Self-employed people like this often do end up being worse off than those of us who worked for a salary or a wage.

MissMoneypenny

margaretclare wrote: »

This was a hard-working couple but, sadly, during their working lifetime they probably neglected to take care of their own pension entitlement beyond the basic state pension. As they each ran a business they won't have become entitled to SERPS/S2P and probably did not set up a private pension arrangement. Self-employed people like this often do end up being worse off than those of us who worked for a salary or a wage.

Would you have known about the benefits you claim if you didn't have grandchildren claiming benefits? Or if you didn't have a computer?

We see these adverts on tv for benefits such as Tax Credits, but I can't say I have seen one for pensioners. I assume that many have reached old age without ever claiming and don't know their way around the benefit system. Perhaps it's time the government ran a campaign for pensioners.

margaretclare

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Would you have known about the benefits you claim if you didn't have grandchildren claiming benefits? Or if you didn't have a computer?

We see these adverts on tv for benefits such as Tax Credits, but I can't say I have seen one for pensioners. I assume that many have reached old age without ever claiming and don't know their way around the benefit system. Perhaps it's time the government ran a campaign for pensioners.

I don't know where you get the idea that I have benefit-claiming grandchildren. I haven't. All my grandchildren are gainfully employed, even the one who left school this summer and went straight into a job.

Probably I know a bit more about benefits because one of my first jobs waaay back was concerned with benefits as they existed then. And then, a decade ago being a volunteer adviser in CAB.

What I do think is sad is that there was, for many years, little or no advice for people in their working lifetime about putting money into a good place for when they would need it later. I got this advice when working in the NHS, but so many people didn't.

I can imagine this couple being so busy running their businesses and ploughing every penny back in.

There did use to be a series of TV ads about pension credit when it first came on the scene. The slogan was 'Pick it up, it's yours'. Some years ago now DH was contacted by the Pensions Service and asked why he wasn't claiming this. They even insisted on sending someone out to see him. He told them we'd done the sums and knew we weren't eligible, but a lady arrived to 'make sure he was claiming all he was entitled to'. She was in the house for 5 minutes, he handed her a piece of paper with figures on, she agreed with him. She didn't even ask to look at mine!

MissMoneypenny

margaretclare wrote: »

I don't know where you get the idea that I have benefit-claiming grandchildren.

From your previous posts. I recall you spoke about a granddaughter on JSA. I have a good memory.

On seeing your reply, I just did a search to see if my memory had failed me. It hadn't.

margaretclare wrote: »

I can imagine this couple being so busy running their businesses and ploughing every penny back in.

From the opening post, it seems they retired with significant savings. But they weren't aware of the benefit system.

ConcernedNeighbour wrote: »

Retired in their late 60s/early 70s as far as I can tell. They used their savings and full state pension each, to pay for themselves.

Present
Now in their late 80s.

margaretclare

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

From your previous posts. I recall you spoke about a granddaughter on JSA. I have a good memory.

On seeing your reply, I just did a search to see if my memory had failed me. It hadn't.

That's a very very long time ago! Said granddaughter qualified as a painter and decorator City and Guilds Level 3, and now has more work than she can handle.

You must remember a lot about me personally!

MissMoneypenny

margaretclare wrote: »

That's a very very long time ago! Said granddaughter qualified as a painter and decorator City and Guilds Level 3, and now has more work than she can handle.

You must remember a lot about me personally!

As I have said before on this forum, I remember most of what I have read, seen or heard. It doesn't matter if it is on an internet forum, stuff on website, boosk, things I learned or did as a child many years ago, driving routes, all the thousands of different show jumping courses I have ridden as a child, etc: I remember most of it. I'm fortunate to have a memory that meant I never had to revise for exams, even for my degree. I love reading and learning.

So yes, what posts of yours that I have read (and I don't read every post) I will remember, just as I do with other posters. If they don't keep to the same story, I spot it, but I don't always mention it.

Indie_Kid

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

So yes, what posts of your I have read (and I don't read many posts) I will remember, just as I do with other posters. If they don't keep to the same story, I spot it, but don't always mention it.

This makes no sense. Peoples situation change. Especially if it was something written some years ago.