Attendance Allowance/Pension Credit

calcotti

Murphybear said:

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.  

You’ve got that the wrong way round. HB cannot explain a PC award.
The AA award means that the PC calculation includes the SDP (if living alone and no one claims Carer’s Allowance or carer element of UC) which means that she now has some PC entitlement.
If the PC award includes guarantee PC she should be entitled to full HB (and Council Tax Reduction).

Alice_Holt

Murphybear said:

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)

 I think she gets a bit of housing benefit (HB) which explains why the AA changed her entitlement to the PC.  

      The AA award would increase her PC minimum guarantee amount, regardless of whether any HB is paid.

     If she is now entitled to a PC top up (i.e her current income is below £244 pw), then she will be automatically passported to full HB and Council Tax reduction. 

Murphybear

Thanks again both.  This is making my old Physics degree seem simple 

whizzywoo

What @Alice_Holt and @calcotti have said about the Severe Disability Premium increasing Guarantee Pension Credit is correct.

If someone receives Attendance Allowance (either lower or higher) amount and lives alone and no one receives Carer's Allowance for caring for them, the minimum amount of income they need to live on increases by the Severe Disability Premium of £67.30 per week.

It is also worth noting here that a couple living together can receive two Severe Disability Premiums added to Pension Credit if they are both receiving a disability benefit and no one receives Carer's Allowance for them.  It is set out in this link which benefits can qualify for the Severe Disability Premium.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit/pension-credit-and-help-for-disabled-people

The relevant benefits are:  Attendance Allowance - AA - (higher or lower rate)
                                          Personal Independance Payment - PIP (Daily Living Component Standard or Enhanced)
                                          Disability Living Allowance - DLA (Care Component Middle or Higher Rates only)

It's definitely worth claiming Pension Credit.  Even if you only get a £1 a week it passports you to other benefits such as not having to pay any Council Tax.  

otb666

@whizzywoo @calcotti hi I am wondering if 90 years old FIL(who lives alone) missing out on PC as he has AA and 800 per month private pension plus state pension and 90K savings assumed he would not get PC. I have previously assumed his savings were to high 
I have just checked and hes not entitled to PC because of savings

Alice_Holt

otb666 said:

@whizzywoo @calcotti hi I am wondering if 90 years old FIL(who lives alone) missing out on PC as he has AA and 800 per month private pension plus state pension and 90K savings assumed he would not get PC. I have previously assumed his savings were to high 
I have just checked and hes not entitled to PC because of savings

      It's not the savings, per se, that excludes PC. It's his total income.

     PC (including the Severe Disability Addition)  is £252pw

     His income -  Private Pension    =  £242pw
                         State Pension,say, =  £142 pw  
        Tariff income on £90k savings =  £160 pw  (£1pw per £500 over £10k)

Nobbysgirl2

all very interesting