Desparate

Alan_Fisburn

Dear Sirs,

I have recently returned to UK after 50+ years in South Africa. 

I am 75 years old.

I was in business for 41 years. 

My health is not too good.

 

After many successful years I was forced to close my business because of the machinations and policies of the South African government and the general collapse of the economy through theft, corruption, ineptitude etc. of which I am sure you are aware.

Eventually I was forced to close the business after having ploughed back all my savings and pension investments in an attempt to save it. Now I am back in UK almost penniless having contributed hardly anything towards my UK government pension. The UK government gives me +-£146 per month Pension. On top of that I get £+-600 per month Universal Credit split between my wife and myself. My house rent is £900 per month!!! Plus power, council tax, water etc. We were forced to move into this house as no cheaper ones were available owing to the shortage of rental property in UK.. We had travelled all over England for three months looking for somewhere to stay and found nothing. 

 The problem is that nobody can live on this money. They even knock the amount of my pension money off my Universal Credit! I have phoned everybody I can think of for advice and nobody can help. I just cannot believe that the British government would let me starve in the gutter!

 Are there other any avenues I can explore? I have tried Dept of Pensions, Citizens Advice bureau, UK Aged, Universal Credit to no avail.

Is there some kind of a Consultancy which could help even for a fee?

 I am really desperate. I don't know where to turn. And winter is coming!

 Kind Regards

[Name removed by Forum Team]

xylophone

The UK government gives me +-£146 per month Pension. 

Is there any chance you might qualify for pension credit?

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

anmarj

xylophone said:

The UK government gives me +-£146 per month Pension. 

Is there any chance you might qualify for pension credit?

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

OP states they claim UC, so would have assume that wife is under SPA

elsien

I think if you post on the benefits board with some more details of how your UC is made up, they may be able to check the accuracy of the UC.
Are you not eligible for council tax reduction if you are on a low income?
How many bedrooms does your house have? 
What about your wife - how old is she and if under pension age is she able to work? 

bostonerimus

Are you eligible for any SA state pensions or benefits?

msallen

There are plenty of properties available "all over England" for less than £900pm - off the top of my head you could probably halve that in parts of Lincolnshire, South or West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Northumberland. If you're prepared to stretch that to the whole of the UK then large swathes of Scotland and Wales become available (possibly NI too but I have no knowledge of that)

sgx2000

So...

I really don't want to seem unsympathetic

But.. ....

You potentially paid tax and national insurance in the uk for 7ish years ...
Then left the uk for 50 year...

And are complaining that your pension is only £146 per month???.....
(people have paid in for 50 years and only get £186)

And £900 per month rent....???? 
There are terraced houses all over the uk for £400-600

Linton

sgx2000 said:

So...

I really don't want to seem unsympathetic

But.. ....

You potentially paid tax and national insurance in the uk for 7ish years ...
Then left the uk for 50 year...

And are complaining that your pension is only £146 per month???.....
(people have paid in for 50 years and only get £186)

And £900 per month rent....???? 
There are terraced houses all over the uk for £400-600

Per week!

Pollycat

I'm not sure what you think a consultancy would be able to do for you.

Have you checked that you are receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to?
Try putting your details into one of these benefit checkers:
Benefits calculators - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

penners324

How are you getting a state pension without having paid the relevant NI contributions? Or is it the Soutg African state pension?

Not sure you should be getting Universal Credit either

MallyGirl

Regardless of the reasons, you find yourself in the UK having not contributed enough NI to earn much pension. The UK gov will absolutely leave you to fend for yourself. A quick search will show lots of posts from widows who opted to pay reduced/married woman's stamp (NI) and are now left with very low pensions as a result. Make sure you are getting all the benefits you qualify for and try and find somewhere cheaper to live if your income from all sources is insufficient for the current property. A previous poster listed a number of locations to try now that you have a roof over your head.
There is a benefit calculator at Turn2Us which is helpful - https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/