Attendance Allowance/Pension Credit

Murphybear

Hi

Can I pick your brains please.  

I have a friend who is on State Pension plus a couple of small works pensions.  She has too much to get Pension Credit.  She has a number of health issues and I helped her get lower rate Attendance Allowance.  I put her details into one of the benefit checkers to double check I hadn’t missed anything and it has said she is entitled to about £20 of Pension Credit and full Council Tax benefit.  I have double checked this and it seems correct.  

I’m normally good at understanding benefits but couldn’t see why her entitlement to PC has changed, I didn’t think AA affected anything.

I am hoping someone can help with this.  I am happy to take her to CAB or Age U.K. but they are very busy at the moment and getting hold of the DWP is proving difficult.  

Thanks for reading

poppy12345

If she lives alone ( and no one claims Carers allowance or Carers element of UC for looking after her) then she'll be entitled to the Severe disability premium, which is paid as part of Pension Credit. Although her works pension will reduce the amount she's entitled to, which is likely why it says £20 per week.

Oblong1

I’m not sure but I think AA gets you some Pension Credit, as does PIP. Did she get the AA after you tried for Pension Credit? If so, you should let them know she has got this.  Otherwise it could be as she has lower rate AA this excludes her.

poppy12345

Oblong1 said:

I’m not sure but I think AA gets you some Pension Credit, as does PIP.

That's not quite correct, it will depend on the persons circumstances. This isn't the first time you've given incorrect advice on here today. Please be careful of the advice that you're giving. You can see the replies to your advice in this thread here. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6332444/housing-benefit-capital-disregards-at-pension-age-66#latest

Alice_Holt

AA will increase her PC allowance by the severe disability premium (if living alone and no one claiming carers allowance).

 https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Severe-Disability-Premium/Can-I-get-a-Severe-Disability-Premium#:~:text=To get a Severe Disability,Pension Credit, or Housing Benefit.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/large-print-factsheets/fs48-lp-pension-credit.pdf
(see page 8)

KxMx

AA can passport you to other help you would not otherwise be entitled to. 

So whereas before in pounds and pence your friend wasn't entitled to PC, now she gets AA as Poppy said she qualifies for a premium within Pension Credit. 

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/pension-credit-additional-amount-severe-disability

Murphybear

Oblong1 said:

I’m not sure but I think AA gets you some Pension Credit, as does PIP. Did she get the AA after you tried for Pension Credit? If so, you should let them know she has got this.  Otherwise it could be as she has lower rate AA this excludes her.

Yes, I knew she wouldn’t be entitled for PC but I thought she might be entitled to AA

Murphybear

Alice_Holt said:

AA will increase her PC allowance by the severe disability premium (if living alone and no one claiming carers allowance).

 https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Severe-Disability-Premium/Can-I-get-a-Severe-Disability-Premium#:~:text=To get a Severe Disability,Pension Credit, or Housing Benefit.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/large-print-factsheets/fs48-lp-pension-credit.pdf
(see page 8)

Thanks Alice.  The link was really helpful.  I think she gets a bit of housing benefit which explains why the AA changed her entitlement to the PC.  

Alice_Holt

Oblong1 said:

I’m not sure but I think AA gets you some Pension Credit, as does PIP. Did she get the AA after you tried for Pension Credit? If so, you should let them know she has got this.  Otherwise it could be as she has lower rate AA this excludes her.

      For others reading this thread it may be helpful to note that AA (or PIP) and PC are not linked in the way that your comment suggests.

    An award of AA (or PIP) does not automatically mean someone can claim PC.

   PC is a means tested benefit.  AA (or PIP) is not means tested but paid as a consequence of the claimants (health) circumstances. 
   
  PC tops up your income to a minimum level.
  The important thing to know is that a disability benefit (such as AA) will increase that minimum PC income level from £177 pw (single person not in receipt of a disability benefit), to potentially £244 (single person in receipt of a disability benefit) by the addition of a PC disability premium.

poppy12345

Murphybear said:

Oblong1 said:

I’m not sure but I think AA gets you some Pension Credit, as does PIP. Did she get the AA after you tried for Pension Credit? If so, you should let them know she has got this.  Otherwise it could be as she has lower rate AA this excludes her.

Yes, I knew wouldn’t be entitled for PC

Although your thoughts were wrong because she's entitled to the SDP.

Murphybear

Thanks all, especially for the speedy replies.  The benefits system can get unbelievably complicated 

We live in communal over 60s housing, there are 33 of us and I know many are anxious about financial issues.  2/3 of them don’t use a computer and getting access to help can be a bit tricky these days.