Pension Guarantee Credit Non Dependant Deductions

sirastro

Hi all,
New poster here

I moved in with my Mum in Feb this year.
She is in receipt of
pension
pension credit guarantee
DLA - Middle rate care

I am in employment.
We wrote to the pension credit people and was sent a form to fill in with my details.
I sent this back and we heard nothing. After a few weeks I phoned them and was told as my mum was in receipt of DLA non dependant deductions didnt apply.
I wasnt totally sure of this so done some digging online.
The pension credit help page seems to confirm what I was told

"No deductions will be taken from your customer’s Pension Credit if:
• your customer or their partner are registered blind or severely sight impaired
• your customer or their partner is receiving Attendance Allowance or the care
component of Disability Living Allowance or the daily living component of
Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment"

That I thought was that.
We have today got a letter from them saying from Feb her pension credit guarantee will be reduced by app £60 a week.

I have rung them and they are going to send an explanatory letter. I queried the non dependants thing and was told this only applies if both the claimant and the non dependant are in receipt of DLA!!

I am told my Mum will not need to pay back any of the money between Feb and now providing we alerted them at the time, which we did and then queried why we hadnt heard anything!!

Bit confused and somewhat worried and annoyed now. We gave them all details within 48hrs of me moving in with my Mum and six months later it is all up in the air.

Anyone with any advice, comments etc please let me know

Thank you

pmlindyloo

Is the amount £61.85 per week?

I think you are confused about the meaning of non dependent deductions. These are not made from Guarantee pension Credit. They are made from Housing Benefit and Council Tax reduction. They are not made for HB and CT reduction if the claimant receives certain benefits - in your mum's case - mid care DLA.

I think that your mum has lost her severe disability premium which was extra money (£62.85 per week ) added to your mum's PC because she lived alone with no non dependants living with her and no one was receiving Carer's allowance for her.

You are her non dependent so she would no longer be entitled to the SDP.

The SDP can still be awarded if the non dependant receives a qualifying benefit.

This link explains about the SDP

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Severe-Disability-Premium/What-is-a-Severe-Disability-Premium.aspx

Does this make sense?

anmarj

It may not be non dependent deduction, your mum may of been in receipt of a premium call extra amount for severe disability on Pension Credit, worth up to £61 per week, you moving in, would mean her losing that premium.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Severe-Disability-Premium/What-is-a-Severe-Disability-Premium.aspx

You need to check any previous letters and see if that had the premium on, if it did, then that is what would be coming off, and if they got the letter about you moving in, it should be official error from receipt of that letter to date as it should of been removed when you moved in.

pmlindyloo

anmarj wrote: »

It may not be non dependent deduction, your mum may of been in receipt of a premium call extra amount for severe disability on Pension Credit, worth up to £61 per week, you moving in, would mean her losing that premium.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Severe-Disability-Premium/What-is-a-Severe-Disability-Premium.aspx

You need to check any previous letters and see if that had the premium on, if it did, then that is what would be coming off, and if they got the letter about you moving in, it should be official error from receipt of that letter to date as it should of been removed when you moved in.

Snap! Good to see a second post confirming my thoughts.

sirastro

Hi pmlindyloo & anmarj
Thank you very much for your replies.
Yes that is the exact amount her claim has been reduced by.
The letter we got today is worded to say that from 18th Feb your pension credit has been reassesed due to a change in your circumstances.
They would have got my employment income etc around a week before that
So I assume they are confirming receipt of my details and the change of circumstances.
It just seems very odd that it has taken them so long to action the letter!!
There is no part of the letter which says my Mum will have to repay or anything like that so I am assuming this is just clerical error on there part
Thank you both again for your time

Alice_Holt

An aside.
As your Mum is now not receiving the severe disability premium (as she no longer lives alone), it may be possible that if somone cares for her then they could receive Carers Allowance.

There are conditions attached to Carers Allowance namely:

"You may be eligible if you meet all the following conditions:

you look after someone who gets a qualifying disability benefit
you look after that person for at least 35 hours a week
you are aged 16 or over
you are not in full-time education
you earn £110 a week (after deductions) or less
you satisfy UK presence and residence conditions
Note: If you meet the above conditions but already receive certain benefits (including a State Retirement Pension), then the amount of Carer’s Allowance you may be entitled to could be affected."

http://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/carers-allowance