MIL Recently Widowed - need help understanding universal credit and entitlement

luke222010

Hi all

Hoping someone can help me with some queries please.

My mother in law lost her husband last week, and we are currently having to go through the process of a number of things understandably.

First off, her husband was pensionable age, but was classed as disabled and therefore my mother in law had been caring for him for the past 20 years.

The most recent financial support that they received prior to my father in laws death was as follows.
He was claiming:
-state pension
-pension credit
-disability benefit

She was claiming:
-carers allowance

An approx. total per week was around £370.

Now my father in law has passed away, all 4 of those benefits have stopped, and we have to begin the process of sorting universal credit for my mother in law. We understand very little of the benefit system and therefore all of the jargon and the way it works seems very complicated and difficult to get our heads around.

She is in housing association accommodation, and does not work due to the aforementioned care she has had to provide for her husband for the past 20 years.

If I am understanding correctly, I think she is entitled to around £70 a week only, which is a considerable drop from what they would have lived on as a couple in the past.

Can anyone please explain to me in laments terms where we go from here, in both setting up the universal credit as well as what to expect going forward?

It would also be great if someone can provide any guidance on what my mother in law is likely to receive financially from the state now her husband has passed away, in addition to the bereavement support allowance for the next 18 months that she will get from being widowed.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Mojisola

luke222010 wrote: »

My mother in law lost her husband last week

The most recent financial support that they received prior to my father in laws death was as follows.
He was claiming:
-state pension
-pension credit
-disability benefit

She was claiming:
-carers allowance

Now my father in law has passed away, all 4 of those benefits have stopped

Carer's Allowance should run on for, I think, eight weeks after the death.

There's lots of practical advice on this site -
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/practical-support/when-caring-ends/bereavement

luke222010

Mojisola wrote: »

Carer's Allowance should run on for, I think, eight weeks after the death.

There's lots of practical advice on this site -
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/practical-support/when-caring-ends/bereavement

I should probably say, they have not had an easy 12 weeks - he's been in hospital in and out that much that the carers allowance had stopped.

elsien

How old is she? Have you looked at any of the benefits calculators such as turn2us?
Is she definitely in a UC area?
Don't forget the council tax single person discount as well.

ETA - are you aware of bereavement support payments? I don't know what the criteria ar, but worth checking.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Bereavement-Support-Payment/What-is-Bereavement-Support-Payment

luke222010

elsien wrote: »

How old is she? Have you looked at any of the benefits calculators such as turn2us?
Is she definitely in a UC area?
Don't forget the council tax single person discount as well.

ETA - are you aware of bereavement support payments? I don't know what the criteria ar, but worth checking.

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Bereavement-Support-Payment/What-is-Bereavement-Support-Payment

She is 57. Definitely in a UC area.
We have input details into "entitledto" after seeing it on the CAB website, and it reckons we are entitled to universal credit which consisted of:
- £15.21 council tax single person discount
- £71.10 jobseekers allowance
- £72.64 housing benefit

So basically per week, before having to pay for council tax, rent, utilities, food etc, the total is:
£160.95

Then there is the bereavement support allowance of £2500 one of payment and £100 a month for 18 months.

Is there anything else that she may be entitled to after the bereavement support allowance ends?

If I'm honest, I am struggling to understand how she is going to survive once that one off £2500 payment has been spent.

poppy12345

elsien wrote: »

Is she definitely in a UC area?
/QUOTE]
All areas are now a full UC area as from middle of December.

poppy12345

luke222010 wrote: »

She is 57. Definitely in a UC area.
We have input details into "entitledto" after seeing it on the CAB website, and it reckons we are entitled to universal credit which consisted of:
- £15.21 council tax single person discount
- £71.10 jobseekers allowance
- £72.64 housing benefit

So basically per week, before having to pay for council tax, rent, utilities, food etc, the total is:
£160.95

Then there is the bereavement support allowance of £2500 one of payment and £100 a month for 18 months.

Is there anything else that she may be entitled to after the bereavement support allowance ends?

If I'm honest, I am struggling to understand how she is going to survive once that one off £2500 payment has been spent.

You won't get JSA when claiming UC. Council tax reduction isn't part of UC.


Is she able to look for work? Does she have any health conditions that would stop her looking for work?



Try using this calculator https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

poppy12345

Her bereavement allowance isn't means tested so that won't affect any UC payment. Her housing benefit will continue for 2 weeks.



She'll receive the standard allowance of UC for over 25s £317.82 per month. Plus the housing element.



Also the 25% discount for council tax.



Does she have a health condition that means she's unable to work? If she does then she'll need a fit/sick note from her GP for UC.



There's also a 5 week wait for her first payment, when first claiming UC.



If i've missed anything then i'm sure someone will see this and advise further.

calcotti

luke222010 wrote: »

She is 57. Definitely in a UC area.
We have input details into "entitledto" after seeing it on the CAB website, and it reckons we are entitled to universal credit which consisted of:
- £15.21 council tax single person discount
- £71.10 jobseekers allowance
- £72.64 housing benefit

So basically per week, before having to pay for council tax, rent, utilities, food etc, the total is:
£160.95

Then there is the bereavement support allowance of £2500 one of payment and £100 a month for 18 months.

Is there anything else that she may be entitled to after the bereavement support allowance ends?

If I'm honest, I am struggling to understand how she is going to survive once that one off £2500 payment has been spent.

Although the terms you have used are slightly wrong the figures are roughly right. It will not be JSA and Housing Benefit, it will be UC which consists of a standard allowance of £317.82/month (£73.10/week) plus housing costs.

She will get the Bereavement Support Payment..

She can also claim Council Tax Reduction from the local authority (this is different to the single person discount) - which will cover most of the Council Tax bill although details vary between local authorities.

If the amount of help with rent she gets is not enough to pay the rent she may be able to get additional help by asking for a Discretionary Housing Payment from the local authority. However these are usually limited to about six months and are not intended for long term support.

When she claims UC she cannot be required to look for work for six months from the date of death.

It is difficult to get UC backdated and the maximum backdating is one month so she should make a claim as soon as possible.

luke222010

poppy12345 wrote: »

You won't get JSA when claiming UC. Council tax reduction isn't part of UC.


Is she able to look for work? Does she have any health conditions that would stop her looking for work?



Try using this calculator https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

My apologies, i was looking at the wrong tab.
Under Universal Credit the amount was:
£163.56

Consisting of:
£146.17 UC
£17.39 Council Tax Support

luke222010

poppy12345 wrote: »

Her bereavement allowance isn't means tested so that won't affect any UC payment. Her housing benefit will continue for 2 weeks.



She'll receive the standard allowance of UC for over 25s £317.82 per month. Plus the housing element.



Also the 25% discount for council tax.



Does she have a health condition that means she's unable to work? If she does then she'll need a fit/sick note from her GP for UC.



There's also a 5 week wait for her first payment, when first claiming UC.



If i've missed anything then i'm sure someone will see this and advise further.

So the entitledto calculator states £163.56 per week (more than the 317.82 you mention). Does this include housing element as there is no reference to that in the calculation?