We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide

Cashing in small pension. Effect on Benefits.. and Tax?

Hi, Im asking on behalf of my mum!
She has a small pension of just under £10,000 from when she worked years ago, she is currently 56 and was thinking about cashing them in now due to her health/condition!

She is on Disability Living Allowence (High Care, Low Mobility)
plus Employment Support Allowence (Support group - I think)

If she was to cash these in, how much tax would she pay?
Would it effect her current benefits too taking the lump sum?

Only rang the company who she has her pension with today to update her address details and found out how much her pension was worth.

Thanks
Make £10 a day Challenge June - £170

Comments

  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,857 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I don't think it would affect anything to be honest, it is such a small amount in the scheme of things.


    She certainly wouldn't pay any tax on it.


    DLA would not be affected and really not sure about ESA but I don't think so.


    Get her to ring up the DWP, they would know definitely the rules.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • philwal_2
    philwal_2 Posts: 56 Forumite
    Disability would not be affected as not a means tested benefit but it would effect your esa as it's means tested and the pension would be classed as income over 6000 which is the lower limit anything between 6000 to 16000 would reduce esa
  • would not affect cont based sea,but it would income related sea if it took her savings above 6k from 6k to 16k £1 of benefit is lost for every £250
    as i understand the new rules it maybe that tax would be deducted on the 75% of the pension that is taxable and have to be reclaimed at the end of the tax year
  • KrazyKel
    KrazyKel Posts: 492 Forumite
    Ahh thank you, will have to find out what ESA she is on... Hasn't worked in the last 3-4 years so dont think it would be cont based... have to find out
    and also the savings part too how it will reduce her benefit if she takes it all and has over 6k then....She doesn't have anything really saved at the moment so she thought she could have the money in an ISA instead
    (She gets full housing/council tax benefit too)

    Will have to ring up this week and find out! Maybe, if
    Make £10 a day Challenge June - £170
  • philwal_2
    philwal_2 Posts: 56 Forumite
    It's best to get a full breakdown of what is being claimed.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 354.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 254.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 455.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 247.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 604.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 178.5K Life & Family
  • 261.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.