Pension Credit (Legacy) v Universal Credit

Swanseajack

Hi, hoping someone can offer advice on a benefit query please.
I was on PC for a goodly while, which stopped in Jan when my other half took a 6-month part time contract which was £great for a while. However, now that it's over, I understand that I can't reclaim PC as my partner is a shade under retirement age...however, we were told to apply for Universal Credit but when we tried doing the online benefit calculator, it says that we're not entitled to UC. It did however say that we could get full CTR, yet another benefit calculator says that we're only entitled to a couple of pounds a week CTR. If anyone can throw some light on what the real situation is I'd be very grateful. I only have my SP, plus a couple of smaller pensions that total less than 5k p.a. No savings to speak of, about 5k. Thank you, Jack

Spoonie_Turtle

Unfortunately all of your pension income will be deducted in full from a potential UC award so it is entirely possible, especially if you don't rent/have dependent children/disabling health conditions, that there is no UC entitlement. 
The standard couple rate is £617.60/month … I think the state pension alone is more than that.  [For context, the Pension Credit couple rate is £1442.73 when converted to monthly amounts.]

Council Tax Support can vary by council.  The benefit calculators are usually fairly accurate but if they're giving different answers the only way you'll find out for certain is by applying for it and seeing what happens.  (It might be possible to find the criteria for your council online, but might not be.)

Swanseajack

Thanks for your speedy response, I understand those figures now. Gosh, that's a big difference when comparing PC to UC. I found the leaflet for CTR from my local council and it says that you don't necessarily have to be eligible for UC to receive CTR. However, when I rang to make the claim on Friday, the chap was not overly nice, and said the DWP don't have a claim for UC in our name. I tried to explain that we weren't eligible but he kept saying we had to register a claim anyway. Surely he knows the numbers and understands we're not eligible. It feels like a bit of a stalemate atm...

marcia_

Swanseajack said:

Thanks for your speedy response, I understand those figures now. Gosh, that's a big difference when comparing PC to UC. I found the leaflet for CTR from my local council and it says that you don't necessarily have to be eligible for UC to receive CTR. However, when I rang to make the claim on Friday, the chap was not overly nice, and said the DWP don't have a claim for UC in our name. I tried to explain that we weren't eligible but he kept saying we had to register a claim anyway. Surely he knows the numbers and understands we're not eligible. It feels like a bit of a stalemate atm...

 He doesn't know what he's talking about. There is no requirement to be claiming any benefits to be eligible for council tax support. Just make the application on paper or their website if they offer that. 

Swanseajack

Ah, thanks for the input. Yes, I'll call them again tomorrow to chase this up. I already made the claim online but they seem to want me to jump through umpteen hoops and keep asking for more info that I just don't have and/or isn't applicable. I would have thought I was classed as a low income household atm on only about £14,500. I've just had to pay the next £200 instalment of CT as I had a nasty message saying it was overdue - it's not it wasn't even due until today, 21st. I don't know if I'd receive a refund if I'm successful with the CTR...

Newcad

ATM as you say.

Council staff get  confused about what is happening with the relationships between UC, HB (legacy or still current for pensioners and temporary accomodation), and CTS.

Try ringing the council again in the hope that you get somebody better informed next time.

If not then can you do an application for CTS online to bypass them anyway?

Swanseajack

Hi, thanks for your message. I did submit the online application last week, but received an email asking for my UC claim reference. I wrote back to say that I had since found out that I wasn't eligible for UC so a claim hadn't gone through, but they still wanted my (non-existent) login reference! I haven't got one so I wrote back yet again to tell them this and am waiting to hear. They certainly do seem rather confused by things, they're not very proficient at benefit advice, but then that's not their job I suppose (you think they'd know the basics though),

8dayweek

You don’t get a reference number for a UC claim. Is it that they perhaps need your (respective) NI numbers? 

TimeLord1

Visit your local Citizens Advice, councils take weeks to even look at new claims but also try to make any CT payments due and you will get it back or go into credit if a reduction is awarded. You might also have to book to see an advisor at Citizen Advice. Usually, a claim reference will be one the council has given you previously for a past claim for the Council Tax or local housing allowance. I would visit your council office to speak to whoever deals with these issues.