Private pension effecting HB for pensioner 26 January at 4:14PM in Benefits & tax credits 1 reply 228 views

Arv147

My mother in law who’s a pensioner was entitled to full housing benefit after her husband died a few months ago as well as support for her council tax.

At the same time she applied for his private pension not knowing what she would get…lump sum or monthly income or evening anything. 

Turns out is entitled to a monthly payment from her husbands private pension. she notified HB and they have dropped her entitled to HB and council tax to the point where she’s actually worse off now. So she’s paying like 150 more every month now to cover rent and council tax than before. 

My question is can she reject any income from her private pension and go back to receiving full HB. Or would HB have a problem with her asking for it to stop. 

She’s better off without it, otherwise she would struggle.

HillStreetBlues

Arv147 said:

My mother in law who’s a pensioner was entitled to full housing benefit after her husband died a few months ago as well as support for her council tax.

At the same time she applied for his private pension not knowing what she would get…lump sum or monthly income or evening anything. 

Turns out is entitled to a monthly payment from her husbands private pension. she notified HB and they have dropped her entitled to HB and council tax to the point where she’s actually worse off now. So she’s paying like 150 more every month now to cover rent and council tax than before. 

My question is can she reject any income from her private pension and go back to receiving full HB. Or would HB have a problem with her asking for it to stop. 

She’s better off without it, otherwise she would struggle.

No she can not reject it if she did they would still deem her as receiving it.

Your MIL should use a benefit checker to see if the council have worked it out correctly
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/