Pension that makes mum WORSE OFF

mike4leeds

Hello everyone,

My wife and me really hope to get some answers as its really causing us stress

OK so mum is 90 in December 2019 and is living in an Independent Living flat thats supplied by Kirklees Council.

Her husband of almost 69 years, passed away October last year. He lived in a Dementure home as he had Alzeihmers and had done so for 2 and a half years.

For all of that time (2 1/2 years) mum had never paid Council Tax or Rent because she got Pension Credit Guaranteed.

WELL after dad passed we were notified that he had a Standard Life Personal Pension that was a Life Insurance bringing mum £53 extra per month.

BUT

She has now been informed that because she is getting this money, she's now £5 over the limit and so has now to PAY COUNCIL TAX AND RENT

How is this fair?

MUM is going to be quite a bit worse off every month

I have enquired about not getting/accepting the pension - NOT POSSIBLE I WAS TOLD
I have enquired about giving the pension to a charity - NOT POSSIBLE I WAS TOLD

Mum HAS to have the pension!!!!! Even though this is making her financially worse off.
WE really at the end of our tether and even trying to get a meeting with the council we were told we'd have to go through Citizens Advice so we called them trying to get a meeting

She's 90 and partially deaf

"Ohhh you can't speak about your mum, we need to speak to her and get approval!!!

OHH MY LIFE

Can people please advise and give some guidance PLEASE?

Michael & Jill Brodie

XX

jem16

Have you actually checked what Mum may be entitled to?

With Pension Credit, Council Tax and Housing Benefits were awarded automatically. Now she may have to apply for them.

Put her income into this calculator as she may still be entitled to something but actually has to claim.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Keep_pedalling

You would be better off posting this on the benefits board, but as for dealing with her affairs you really do need to get lasting powers of attorney in place as a matter of urgency.

tacpot12

mike4leeds wrote: »

... he had a Standard Life Personal Pension that was a Life Insurance bringing mum £53 extra per month.

Sorry, I don't understand this bit. If there was a Life Insurance element to the pension, it would pay out a lump sum. Could it be that her husband had a Joint Life Annuity and it is that which is paying out to your Mother?

If there was no Life Insurance element and no Joint Life Annuity, it is my understanding that she should be able to withdraw it over a period to reduce the amount she is receiving, but that this would be seen as a deliberate attempt to reduce her income and would not succeed in restoring her Pension Credit entitlement.

Your only option may be to write to your MP to point out the unfairness of the system.

Ms_Chocaholic

When my mum wasn't confident on the phone I used to ring on her behalf and totally with her consent and pretend I was her. Not legit but it was with her consent and I was acting in her best interests at all times, ie getting a cheaper tariff on energy/phone bill, sorting out her rent payments etc. Could you try that.

dmelife

Have you asked if they will pay a trivial commutation death benefit lump sum?

Alice_Holt

I would suggest you help your mother apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax reduction through her Local Authority.

POA is a good idea.

Is she getting DLA or AA? If not do make an application.

Re Citizens advice:
Citizens will obviously need your mother's agreement to talk to you about her affairs.
See if your mother can sign a written form of authority, and if the CAB will accept that.
If you become appointee you can then deal directly with third parties.

She is very unlikely to be worse off if she applies for HB and CTr. She needs to do this as her automatic entitlement under Guaranteed Pension Credit has stopped.
She may be eligible for Savings Pension Credit:
https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs48_pension_credit_fcs.pdf

You need to do some research, and then take action on her behalf (like so many other people do in a similar situation). As suggested start by putting her details in a benefits calculator.
Follow up by then (if eligible) :
1) Apply for Attendance Allowance:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/
2) Apply for Housing Benefit / CT reduction;
3) Apply for Savings Pension Credit

Alice_Holt

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

When my mum wasn't confident on the phone I used to ring on her behalf and totally with her consent and pretend I was her. Not legit but....

Much better that mother gives verbal consent at the start of the phone call that you can talk on her behalf.

mike4leeds

Cheers Alice for your reply.
I get what you said about pretending.. we that all the time too :-)

It was just the fact that after a stressful day and waiting on the phone, just to make an appointment, 40mins with Citizens Advice - we couldnt believe or was prepared for them saying we couldn't make an appointment without speaking to mum!!

We will get it sorted, of that I'm sure, but wondered if anyone else had a similar experiance and if there was a way around all this bull

THANK YOU

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

It appears that your mother has capacity to grant LPA - perhaps discuss this with her?

See https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs48_pension_credit_fcs.pdf

WELL after dad passed we were notified that he had a Standard Life Personal Pension that was a Life Insurance bringing mum £53 extra per month.

Could you explain more about this?

How much a week is your mother's state pension now that your father has died?

Alice_Holt

mike4leeds wrote: »

It was just the fact that after a stressful day and waiting on the phone, just to make an appointment, 40mins with Citizens Advice - we couldnt believe or was prepared for them saying we couldn't make an appointment without speaking to mum!!

Confidentially is a fundamental tenet of the Citizens Advice service.
Additionally GDPR requirements mean that consent has to be given at the outset by the client (without you being her appointee, their client is your mum).
It can be inconvenient, but confidential, free, and impartial advice is at the core of the service.

Do remember that your Citizens Advice is a volunteer based local charity, that has a huge demand for its service, resources and volunteer staff.
Guiding vulnerable claimants through a complex benefit system is something you might expect of the DWP, but sadly the government don't provide such a service.