Severe Disability Premium

[Deleted User]

The more I find out, the less I know...

My mother is a self-funding permament resident of a care-home.
She receives Attendance Allowance.
In researching Pension Credit, something called Severe Disabilty Premium has popped-up.

What I can't suss-out is whether this is just a figure that is plugged into the PC calculation, or whether it is additional cash she could be getting.

Could someone please clarify.

R

WillowCat

In order to receive severe disability premium she must be receiving pension credit. If she is self funding how much capital does she have? (you don't need to post here). Pension credit is reduced with a tariff income based on capital and if it is reduced to zero then she would not be eligible for pension credit and hence severe disability premium.

If she has recently sold her house and hence now has much more capital than when she started receiving pension credit I'm not sure if the assessed income period is still applicable, as I know this has been removed from new pension credit applications.

pmlindyloo

SDP is awarded with Pension Credit as part of the PC claim.

It has criteria and can only be awarded if your mum meets the criteria.

No one claims Carer's Allowance for her.
She receives Attendance Allowance
She lives alone or is treated as living alone (being in a residential care home counts as living alone.

So, in theory she should be eligible for the SDP.

But, this is only awarded on a means tested benefit (which Pension Credit is)

Since your mum is self funding then should she be receiving Pension Credit still (this is entirely possible as the capital limits are generous)

Have Pension Credit been informed that she is in a care home? You need to telephone them and ask about the SDP if/when they say that she is still entitled to Pension Credit.

Alice_Holt

Try using the Age Concern benefit calculator
(http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/claiming-benefits/benefits-calculator/)
to check if your mum would be entitled to means tested PC with an associated disability premium.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your replies - much clearer now. The bit I was missing was the fact that she would need to be getting PC in order to receive SDP.

Just to answer questions - she is a while off being eligible for PC (already confirmed by the PC people), so that is something for the future.

Once again, thanks,

R

anmarj

Remember that the SDP can only be considered while in receipt of AA, once she stops being self funding, and starts to get help from local authority, the AA will cease and therefore SDP is not an option