Cost of living payments - New style pension

Trigger56

Hi

I reached retirement age in March and qualified for the full new style pension which I have been receiving since.

I have no other income but receive housing benefit which covers most of my rent and council tax credit for all but a negligible amount. In addition I am also due to receive a £500 pensioner payment in the near future and have a certificate entitling me to reduced or free healthcare costs.

What confuses me is this.

If I was on the old style state pension I would be entitled to pension credit so my total pension income would be pretty much the same as it is now and I would be entitled to exactly the same benefits as mentioned above.

The significant difference is that pension credit is the only 'non working' benefit that qualifies for the £650 payment this year and the £900 announced for next year so despite having basically the same income as someone who has been a pensioner for some time I have and will miss out.

I am obviously not the only person in this position so I am wondering if anyone has found a way out of this rather unfair situation.

calcotti

There is no way out of this situation - it is what it is even though it does indeed seem unfair. Moreover if getting PC you would possibly be getting all of your rent by HB and Council Tax would be fully covered by CTR.

sheramber

It is the same for somebody on old state pension who has a small private pension that takes them over the  PC limit by £1.

They  do not get the extra payments.

Pension Credit tops up:

• your weekly income to £182.60 if you’re single
• 
  

The full new State Pension is £185.15 per week.

p00hsticks

sheramber said:

It is the same for somebody on old state pension who has a small private pension that takes them over the  PC limit by £1.

They  do not get the extra payments.

Pension Credit tops up:

• your weekly income to £182.60 if you’re single
• 
  

The full new State Pension is £185.15 per week.

Or on the old state pension but receiving more than the basic amount due to being contracted in - there are plenty of pensioners on the old system who will be receiving more than £182.60 state pension a week - I believe the maximum possible is over £300

And similarly there will be plenty at present who've reached state retirement age since the new state pension was introduced but aren;t getting the full amount due to the transitional rules. 

It's not as simple as Old style v new style

slowcars

p00hsticks said:

sheramber said:

It is the same for somebody on old state pension who has a small private pension that takes them over the  PC limit by £1.

They  do not get the extra payments.

Pension Credit tops up:

• your weekly income to £182.60 if you’re single
• 
  

The full new State Pension is £185.15 per week.

Or on the old state pension but receiving more than the basic amount due to being contracted in - there are plenty of pensioners on the old system who will be receiving more than £182.60 state pension a week - I believe the maximum possible is over £300

And similarly there will be plenty at present who've reached state retirement age since the new state pension was introduced but aren;t getting the full amount due to the transitional rules. 

It's not as simple as Old style v new style

My old-style state pension is well over £200 a week and even more so with the 10.1% increase