Benfits for pensioner with savings?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Robisere wrote: »

Not every week!

We get it: it's £100 each.

I think you're thinking of the Winter Fuel Allowance, not the Cold Weather Payment. They are two entirely different things.

nannytone_2

Robisere wrote: »

Not every week!

We get it: it's £100 each.

thats the winter fuel allowance.
totally different thing

nannytone_2

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

When I was on Pension Credit I had about five payments in the winter of 2010/11.

that winter was exceptional.
we couldn't get the car off the drive for 3 weeks because of the ice

TELLIT01

somethingcorporate wrote: »

What do you think someone with £40k should be entitled to?

Where should we draw the line at giving benefits? Seems that well below £40k in the bank is a sensible starting point.

I think the point being made was the because she has been responsible, worked and saved all her life she won't get any help from the State. If she'd blown the £40k on fags, booze and drugs the State would make sure her income was topped up to ensure she could continue to live in the manner to which she had become accustomed.

NLW

somethingcorporate wrote: »

What do you think someone with £40k should be entitled to?

Where should we draw the line at giving benefits? Seems that well below £40k in the bank is a sensible starting point.

That was my point someone who has spent every penny on booze and fags and never worked are fully looked after. I think anyone over the age of 55 should be exempt from council tax if they have paid in for say 30 years.

Murphybear

NLW wrote: »

That was my point someone who has spent every penny on booze and fags and never worked are fully looked after. I think anyone over the age of 55 should be exempt from council tax if they have paid in for say 30 years.

Sorry that is not a good idea. In an area that is populated by a higher proportion of retired people where would the councils get enough money to fund the services that are needed/desired? Cut all leisure services, no more libraries, no gardening services so parks would close. People evicted because housing benefit would only cover a small part of rents. Rubbish collected once a month. People don't stop using council services after they have paid in for say 30 years!

Pollycat

Shaps wrote: »

Can anyone please pass on some advice .

I am enquiring about my Mother she is 64 years old ( 65 this year ) who was working part time for the last 15 years up to around 6 months ago before the employers decided to sell the business without telling her ( never work for family ) and now she is without a job.

She gets a basic state pension of around £130 and has savings of around £40000 that I have tried to maximise by using various high interest current accounts.


Would you she be entitled to any other benefits like , never claimed before so not too sure where to look or ask .
She is looking for another part time job but is hard out there especially since you worked at the same place for 15 years.


She owns her own house and is a widower.

Any help would be much appreciated.

There are 2 benefits checkers on this link:
https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Put your Mum's details in - including her savings - and see if she is entitled to any benefits.

SamWoe

Sorry but with this amount of finance, the state will not assist.
BUT others in more poorer situations are being short changed
by Government.
Someone living alone, be they male or female may have savings
up to £15999 and still be eligible for some housing benefits.
Be they a home owner or in rented property.
Now you might think,as I did, that therefore two people married
or living together in the same house would get £31,998. Not
on your life though. In 2006/7 the Government of the day passed
a bill, that in effect took away the personal allowance allowed
to the two people and replaced it by the equivalent of a ONE
PERSON household. Indicentally this occurs even if there is only
one person on the rent book/mortgage account..
Further, subsequent Governments have increased pensions, wages
have increased,naturally funerals have increased in cost.
BUT the permitted amount of savings allowed, has not progressed.
One of the few social benefits that have not progressed with time.
WARNING:- if the authorities discover you,or your parent,parents
who are on benefits - Have more ,even a POUND! Over the figure
then the curtains drop down immediately. Big bills in an instant.
It does not matter that your own bills are due , or even just
awaiting your attention.
Two things need to occur:-
1. Make your relations or yourself are fully aware of this regulation.
No doubt some readers will start squirreling away cash, to lower
bank balances. Have care though,that sort of situation attracts
thieves even injury.
2. We ,the pensioners in UK be they, better off or just hanging
on- Need to be pressurising MP's & the authorties to update
the allowances for married people . Plus making folk aware.
I personally fell foul of the rules ,by recieving out of the blue
a wee pension from a company ,now in liquidation. That I left
in the 1970's. I kid you not! Great windfall. Big aggro.
Then later, after thefts were discovered in card accounts, the
company repaid the cash in full. Delighted, my joy quickly
became horror, when the refund was in effect grabbed under
the above out of date allowances.
OAP's need to get Government to address & update the rules.
By not doing so, thieves are circling around old folk.
It does appear it is the only Government target not uptodate!

thorsoak

My home is also mortgage-free; I am 73 years of age, widowed, and my income is £648 per 4 weeks state pension and £142 per month private pension. My only other benefit is the 25% discount on sole occupancy council tax. And my personal savings are now less than £4,000.

margaretclare

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I think the point being made was the because she has been responsible, worked and saved all her life she won't get any help from the State. If she'd blown the £40k on fags, booze and drugs the State would make sure her income was topped up to ensure she could continue to live in the manner to which she had become accustomed.

This is a frequently-recurring theme on this site, and for all I know, on many others.

Does it never occur to people that there are those of us who do not WANT to blow all our income on fags, booze and drugs?

Life is about choices. Some people choose to save. They like the feeling of having 'a bit put by' as my grandparents might have said. It gives them a warm feeling of security. 'Saving for a rainy day' was said before the benefits culture took hold. Even if it was only 'enough to bury me, and a ham tea'.

I don't know many people who blow all their income on booze, fags and drugs, although I've no doubt there are some. The local paper - and this is just a little town - is always reporting on drug-related crime. They're not people I mix with so I don't know. But I suppose they live for the moment, and think that someone will always bail them out of trouble.

It's a lifestyle choice. If you get to retirement years and have money put by, I can't imagine anyone thinking 'oh damn, I should have started smoking, drinking and snorting cocaine at a younger age'.

BTW the lady is a widow, not a widower. A widower is a bloke.