Retirement housing options

Zudecke_2

Hi all,

My dad is 76 and still working 4 days a week.

He currently rents in the private sector.

He is collecting state pension as well as a very minimal private pension, which will soon cease in a matter of months.

He has no savings, capital assets or investments.

Can anyone help me understand so I can help him what options he may have with regard to housing? His state pension would not cover the rent in his current 1-bed flat and he's worried about the future.

Any help much appreciated, as always guys.

Many thanks,

Z
He's starting to worry about his housing sjtuayikn

HappyMJ

If he stops work he can claim pension credit and housing benefit which would pay the majority of the rent.

Pension credit pays up to £151.20 per week and housing benefit pays up to the 1 bedroom LHA rate in his area. He also won't have to pay the council tax.

greenglide

He is collecting state pension as well as a very minimal private pension, which will soon cease in a matter of months.

Why does the private (personal?) pension cease?

This is not normal.

boliston

I think the pension is sometimes needed for "top-up" if there is a shortfall on LHA - https://www.turn2us.org.uk/
is well worth checking regarding entitlements

xylophone

as a very minimal private pension, which will soon cease in a matter of months.

Why?

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS48_Pension_Credit_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/claiming-benefits/benefits-calculator/

Alice_Holt

Might be worth checking if there is any possibility of sheltered social housing in his area.

As others have posted if he is eligible for PC he wpould be automatically passported to full housing benefit.

Another benefit to consider in the future would be Attendance Allowance. This is payable when care needs arise.

jamesd

Zudecke wrote: »

My dad is 76 and still working 4 days a week.

He should contact Citizen's Advice to arrange for a benefits check. Both for now and for when he stops working. Even now it's likely that he's entitled to a range of benefits.

Zudecke wrote: »

Can anyone help me understand so I can help him what options he may have with regard to housing?

Key ting to do is to make sure he knows that he's been paying into the system for his whole working life and there's nothing wrong with claiming back from it now he's at an age where he needs to do that. It's what he was paying for for others and now it's his own time of need.

Beyond that, once he's on all benefits he's entitled to, find out what the savings limits are for each of them. You can then give him that much money and top it up from time to time on an unpredictable and irregular schedule. Do not use regular payments because those will normally be treated as income in benefits means tests. He can then draw on this as needed. You can also just give him non-money things like replacement appliances and holidays without that affecting his benefits.

Benefits levels aren't intended to be high, just about sufficient. It doesn't take much in the way of gifts of things and money to make a significant improvement to quality of life.

Zudecke_2

So whether or not he is eligible for Pension Credit will depend on income (of which he receives private and state pension) and capital (of which he has none).

Does anyone know the income thresholds to be eligible for PC?

xylophone

See http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS48_Pension_Credit_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

This should be updated shortly but gives a good explanation of how PC works - see also http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/what-the-budget-means-for-you/

maximumgardener

can oP (Z) post some details of the "Private Pension about to cease" ?

thats not normal...the ceasing part!

so what is it, who is it with, how much does it pay, what are the terms, any special conditions?