Martin Lewis: The one thing everyone aged over 66 needs to know

Welshcatlady

Just want to say a big thanks to Martin Lewis for making me aware that I could be due some Pension Credit, with my and my husband's pensions we were just over the limit to be awarded PC, but what I didn't realise is, that if you are on a disability benefit that limit is increased, so as we are both on disability we qualify for PC, should have claimed years ago.  I put in a claim in April, got my first payment last week, backdated to January, so a good amount, and now I will get payment every 4 weeks.  It is certainly going to help with the rising prices at this time.  So thank you very much.

Ness54

I applied for pension credit, only to find out that my state pension pays me £2.15 more than the specified amount to qualify so for the sake of £2.15 I lose out on hundreds. But the GOV.U.K. Calculator said I should get it when I put all my details in. I also had a carer who no longer cares for me, over two months ago my carer informed carers Allowance dept of DWP she no longer cares for me. But after 4 attempts of her telling and emailing them that they need to update this information they still haven’t and are still paying her. I have contacted them six times and they say they need her to contact them. Well she has four times. As they have me down as having a carer that is why my pension credit has been stopped I think. No one is listening and I have no help. I have emailed Teresa Coffrey, my MP. Spoke to Age U.K., spoke to my mental health team. No one is helping. 

judithoward

The awful thing is that if you've saved for even a tiny annuity, that will place you above the threshold for Pension credit, so you miss out on all these other valuable benefits.  The criteria have barely moved for years.  You can get Warm Home discount if your income is below about £16k, yet not Pension Credit.  Surely everyone under the official poverty line should qualify?   (Not to mention the heinous crime of freezing the basic income tax threshold, which again hits those on low incomes the most.....)
Does the govt. not realise that they are giving the message to young people that it's NOT WORTH SAVING for your old age?  (My friend on benefits is much better off than I am, with housing benefit, no Council tax, and all the package that Pension Credit brings with it). 

Keep_pedalling

judithoward said:

Does the govt. not realise that they are giving the message to young people that it's NOT WORTH SAVING for your old age?  (My friend on benefits is much better off than I am, with housing benefit, no Council tax, and all the package that Pension Credit brings with it). 

The message is not that it is not worth saving, it is that to have a comfortable retirement you need to save a lot

JDogg

I'm 'lucky' enough to get what's called a 'protected payment' of £20.28 per week, this is a consequence of having worked and paid National Insurance. As I live in rented accomodation this extra amount along with the massive 3% the Tories increased my pension by is promptly taken from me by my local council as it puts me above the amount the government says I need to live on (they take 85% of anything over this amount). As a consequence my pension is reduced to the basic pension, however I lose out by not being able to claim Pension Credit and also not beinng able to claim the £650 on offer.
If I did not get the protected payment, I'd qualify for Pension Credit, so would have all my rent paid, the £650 and also free dental care etc. Welcome to Tory rip off Britain, where we have one of, if not the lowest pension in Europe..

paul97_2

I know someone who works in the Pension Credit dept, and they told me that the amount of people who are applying for PC that have over £50,000 in savings and full State pensions and with Occupational pensions that don't qualify is ridiculous. People need to do a PC calculation to see if they qualify, they also told me that about 30-40% of claims don't qualify, and then they apply again a few months later when their circumstances have not changed.

What they tell me about the PC dept, I'm glad I don't work for them.

gammoguard

My father in law has only just found out that he's entitled to a reduction (even exempt) for his Council tax bill. He's been paying the full (minus single ocupancy) rate for the last 3 and half years even though he's on guaranteed pension credit. 

His local authority (Solihull MBC) has said he can claim back three months payments - is that correct or is he entitled to a refund for previous years too? 

kbollan

The amount for a couple says both retired.  If one of a married couple is still working and the other retired does the single person apply?

MovingForwards

kbollan said:

The amount for a couple says both retired.  If one of a married couple is still working and the other retired does the single person apply?

No, they claim universal credit as a mixed age couple, check entitled to.

johnnyhawthorn

Yesterday I enquired with my RBS bank I have been with leaving school starting work circa 1969 . I have had loans for all purposes e.g. vehicles and house improvements over many years and never ever defaulted a penny. Currently my wife and I have with the RBS a mortgage which is nearing clearing and has O/D facility ; a joint Mastercard account; and a savings account.. End of September last year we paid off a personal loan used for car purchase. Just after the bank contact me and asked if I would seek./need another personal loan. All our finances are always on husband and wife JOINT basis and we both automatically have our incomes paid into the main JOINT account ALWAYS. Yesterday after my wife and I decided in the New Year we would indeed buy a new car as one of existing was 8 years old and gathering mileage. Remembering the September RBS offer of another PERSONAL car loan but conscious interest rates had interest had increase on their digital banking web seeing 7.1% I calculated 10k was 197 PM well with in affordability and to buy the car we have in mind we would use our savings of circa 7k.to add to the loan cash figure. I applied on line thinking formality BUT but the form did not seem to facilitate JOINT application. I didn't think this was critical. Completed submitted result turn down!...With our faultless customer conforming and finance history I was shocked and angry even embarrassed ......I am retired with 3 pension source inflation proof incomes ; my wife is still working for the NHS and our joint income JOINTLY INTO joint current account  MR. and MRS approx. joint income circa 4k
I rang the RBS mortgage centre first who were sympathetic they passed me onto a officer deals with loans and she took all details and quoted that we could have a loan but not at 7.1 %  as advertised still on their web but NOT 197 PM but 237 PM ........... £40 more ................ we are not happy .............. I doubt if we will accept but took an hour on the phone to find a offer given. Both RBS staff had our JOINT RBS BANKING RECORDS on screen as discussed.
I think the bank has a hidden agenda like being arkward on new car loans? . Why did the screen application not trip to show "second person" loan applicant ?...............which I didn't get opportunity to complete? I appreciate BANK interest rates are up but the car dealership can offer me 6.9% ........who is to be loyal then?.. the bank or my wife and I to acquire procure the car chosen?