Housing Benefit on State Pension

JustTryingToHelpMum

My Dad died of cancer in September and my Mum is quite vulnerable. I have spent a lot of time getting Mums finances straight - Dads estate was insolvent and there was nothing left for Mum. She lives in a housing association property. She receives a state pension of 114 pw and has inherited 2 small pensions from Dad one of 80pm and one of 6pm. She has been receiving a top up payment from Pension Credit. Because of this she has received full help on housing benefit and council tax benefit. On 23rd December we got a letter saying she was entitled to a small amount of Dads unclaimed state pension (he died before reaching claiming age) and she would now receive a total of 150pw. I am therefore assuming she will no longer be eligible for Pension Credit bit we haven't had anything from them yet. My question is about housing benefit and council tax benefit - I can't find anything which will give me information about what level of support she will still be entitled to..... She is only better off by about a tenner a week than she was with pension credit. I am petrified that she won't get the help with her rent and council tax all because of this small.change. Can anyone help me before I help her call tomorrow? It's worrying me to death. Thanks in advance.

Ames

JustTryingToHelpMum wrote: »

My Dad died of cancer in September and my Mum is quite vulnerable. I have spent a lot of time getting Mums finances straight - Dads estate was insolvent and there was nothing left for Mum. She lives in a housing association property. She receives a state pension of 114 pw and has inherited 2 small pensions from Dad one of 80pm and one of 6pm. She has been receiving a top up payment from Pension Credit. Because of this she has received full help on housing benefit and council tax benefit. On 23rd December we got a letter saying she was entitled to a small amount of Dads unclaimed state pension (he died before reaching claiming age) and she would now receive a total of 150pw. I am therefore assuming she will no longer be eligible for Pension Credit bit we haven't had anything from them yet. My question is about housing benefit and council tax benefit - I can't find anything which will give me information about what level of support she will still be entitled to..... She is only better off by about a tenner a week than she was with pension credit. I am petrified that she won't get the help with her rent and council tax all because of this small.change. Can anyone help me before I help her call tomorrow? It's worrying me to death. Thanks in advance.

Try putting her details into https://www.entitledto.com it's usually accurate.

JustTryingToHelpMum

Thanks. As I suspected it means Mum won't get full benefit / support so the extra month amount will basically go to pay rent / council tax element that she will now need to cover. Let's hope it's no different to that. She is quite unaware of what it all means and is sitting thinking she is going to have a little bit more money each week.

[Deleted User]

You say mum is "quite vulnerable" does she have care needs? If so she may qualify for Attendance Allowance, Age uk would be a great place to get some help with this.

JustTryingToHelpMum

Her GP describes her as vulnerable. She doesn't drive and can't due to medication she has to take but I don't think she has a medical condition which would allow her to get disability allowance etc. I am an only child and live 45+ minutes drive away and work full time and have 2 children of school age but Mum only has us so I have to help her with everything. I will do a bit of reading 're attendance allowance as I don't know anything about that.

Alice_Holt

And if eligible for AA -
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/

- she might regain eligibility for Pension Credit.
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/attendance-allowance/

WillowCat

£150 per week is still below the guarantee pension credit amount - which is £159.35. So she should at least get a top up to that amount. She may also be entitled to a small amount of savings credit, but I'm afraid I'm not up to date on the calculation of that.

Pollycat

WillowCat wrote: »

£150 per week is still below the guarantee pension credit amount - which is £159.35. So she should at least get a top up to that amount. She may also be entitled to a small amount of savings credit, but I'm afraid I'm not up to date on the calculation of that.

JustTryingToHelpMum wrote: »

My Dad died of cancer in September and my Mum is quite vulnerable. I have spent a lot of time getting Mums finances straight - Dads estate was insolvent and there was nothing left for Mum. She lives in a housing association property. She receives a state pension of 114 pw and has inherited 2 small pensions from Dad one of 80pm and one of 6pm. She has been receiving a top up payment from Pension Credit. Because of this she has received full help on housing benefit and council tax benefit. On 23rd December we got a letter saying she was entitled to a small amount of Dads unclaimed state pension (he died before reaching claiming age) and she would now receive a total of 150pw. I am therefore assuming she will no longer be eligible for Pension Credit bit we haven't had anything from them yet. My question is about housing benefit and council tax benefit - I can't find anything which will give me information about what level of support she will still be entitled to..... She is only better off by about a tenner a week than she was with pension credit. I am petrified that she won't get the help with her rent and council tax all because of this small.change. Can anyone help me before I help her call tomorrow? It's worrying me to death. Thanks in advance.

It sounds to me that the £150 per week will just be the state pension.
On top of that there will be an extra £86.00 per month £19.85 per week which will take the Op's Mum over the guarantee pension credit weekly limit.

Mojisola

JustTryingToHelpMum wrote: »

Her GP describes her as vulnerable. She doesn't drive and can't due to medication she has to take but I don't think she has a medical condition which would allow her to get disability allowance etc.

Attendance Allowance isn't given because of any specific illness - it's the amount of care/protection a person needs that's relevant.

It would be worth getting some help to fill in the AA form if you do decide to apply, eg AgeUK.

WillowCat

Pollycat wrote: »

It sounds to me that the £150 per week will just be the state pension.
On top of that there will be an extra £86.00 per month £19.85 per week which will take the Op's Mum over the guarantee pension credit weekly limit.

Fair enough, it's not clear, and I interpreted the £150 total as being the total of all the pensions.