My State Pension suspended!

AnnieByGasLight2

We (husband & I) have been living off his state pension and pension credit for a few years. Yes money is tight, as we don't smoke nor drink we manage to get by!
In June of this year I became of pensionable age. I was sent the letter to claim my state pension. On doing the maths we found we will be a lot worse off than we are now if I claimed it because we will be just a couple of pounds over and lose the housing benefit too. We are in private rent.
We decided not to claim my state pension.
Fast forward six weeks and the pension credit just stopped, no reason given nor no letter received so we telephoned the pension credit office. There we were told it doesn't matter if I claimed my pension or not the figures are still included. This was news to us. I was informed to apply for my state pension now and then call back giving a change in circumstances. So we did just as we where asked to, that six weeks ago now.
Today I rang the new pension line to be told my state pension has been suspended, not given a reason why and again NO letter. I was told it has gone to another department which dose not take calls. I was told I should get a response in 48hrs. Money has been confirmed but not released.
When I applied for the pension I was given a tick box if I wanted it back dated, I did ticked yes, I done this because I knew we had to pay back six weeks pension credit and thought this would help towards covering this pay back which we do not have a problem with.
What am I having difficulty with is why are we not informed of any process, we haven't received any phone calls nor any letters, why are we being kept in the dark with having to guess what is happening.
We haven't even been sent a letter to say pension credit has stopped. If only these people could keep you updated on what is going on, its so stressful just not knowing. 
Money wise we are in a mess now as only one old style pension being paid over the past 7 weeks. With the first of the month coming fast with DD bills and rent to be paid. For the first time in our lives we don't have the money to pay them.

Please no nasty replies, we are stressed enough. Thank you 
  

JoeCrystal

AnnieByGasLight2 said:

We (husband & I) have been living off his state pension and pension credit for a few years. Yes money is tight, as we don't smoke nor drink we manage to get by!

In June of this year I became of pensionable age. I was sent the letter to claim my state pension. On doing the maths we found we will be a lot worse off than we are now if I claimed it because we will be just a couple of pounds over and lose the housing benefit too. We are in private rent.

We decided not to claim my state pension.

Fast forward six weeks and the pension credit just stopped, no reason given nor no letter received so we telephoned the pension credit office. There we were told it doesn't matter if I claimed my pension or not the figures are still included. This was news to us. I was informed to apply for my state pension now and then call back giving a change in circumstances. So we did just as we where asked to, that six weeks ago now.

Today I rang the new pension line to be told my state pension has been suspended, not given a reason why and again NO letter. I was told it has gone to another department which dose not take calls. I was told I should get a response in 48hrs. Money has been confirmed but not released.

When I applied for the pension I was given a tick box if I wanted it back dated, I did ticked yes, I done this because I knew we had to pay back six weeks pension credit and thought this would help towards covering this pay back which we do not have a problem with.

What am I having difficulty with is why are we not informed of any process, we haven't received any phone calls nor any letters, why are we being kept in the dark with having to guess what is happening.

We haven't even been sent a letter to say pension credit has stopped. If only these people could keep you updated on what is going on, its so stressful just not knowing. 

Money wise we are in a mess now as only one old style pension being paid over the past 7 weeks. With the first of the month coming fast with DD bills and rent to be paid. For the first time in our lives we don't have the money to pay them.

Please no nasty replies, we are stressed enough. Thank you 
  

I put paragraphs in your post to better understand what you are posting.

However, the fact that your deferred state pension is included is nothing new. As laid out on the page linked here under "If you’ve deferred your pension": https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility. The expectation is that people will claim all pensions they are entitled to when they reach the state pension age.

I wonder if you both have fallen foul of the mixed-age couples rules change, which now allows only you and your husband to access Pension Credit if you both reach the pension age. (That should not be an issue if your husband starts claiming pension credit before 15 May 2019.)

I am afraid that the only people who can help you are the DWP. It might be worth contacting your MP to discuss this, considering they may and can also ask the DWP.

AnnieByGasLight2

Hello JoeCrystal,

Yes we are mixed age, am now 66yrs and my husband is coming up 76yrs

Thank you for your link on deferring, we are new to all this so wasn't a wear. Not sleeping with the stress which is why the silly o'clock!

I did try to edit so I could paragraph it but unable to find how to do it or am just too tired. I haven't been on here for a long time.

Am going to try the job centre, also my new MP and Age Concern.

Thank you for your reply

happymum37

Try  citizens advice as well.  Good luck x

FlorayG

If you are usually a good payer and on time, most companies and landlords will let you be late on this rare occasion if you let them know in advance. You don't have to give any details, just say " I've reached state pension age just last month and there's been a mixup with my pension, should be sorted out in a couple of weeks" and ask if you can pay half now and half when you get the money. They may, of course, say no, but they can't say 'yes' unless you ask

elmer

Your Housing benefit will have been suspended as well, as pension credit will have notified your local council, but you may find that you don't lose all your hb,
 try a benefits calculator to see if you still have entitlement with your new pensions amount. You will  eventually get a decision from the
 Council, but they also need to wait for the pensions service to notify them of the figures, 

p00hsticks

AnnieByGasLight2 said:

Am going to try the job centre, also my new MP and Age Concern.

The job centre are unlikely to be of help since they will only know and deal with working age benefits and you are now both over State Pension Age, which is the Pension Service side of DWP. I'd concentrate your efforts on the last two, and Citizens advice.

AnnieByGasLight2

Thank you to everyone for your advise!

FlorayG, The letting agent we found this small flat with didn't want us here in the first place so we had to fight for it or we would of been homes 18 months ago. Had to leave our old place after ten years because our lovely landlady needed to sell it. 

We have never missed nor been late with any payments. We have been informed that in May 2025 when the contact ends it will not be renewed as again this property will be going up for sale.

Yes we are on the council housing list. We have been advised to start bidding in Feb 2025

The letting agent is not that approachable, he is all about the money and makes sure you know it too. We have to ride this awful situation out and may have to go to our bank and ask for a large overdraft. Never asked for one before in over fifty years with the same bank. 

luvchocolate

Also put your name on housing association lists

[Deleted User]

Have you had your figures through for your state pension? Are you entitled to the full new state pension when this problem is sorted out?
I am no expert but I am not sure how you could have been worse off with two state pensions rather than just one state pension and pension credit.
As someone mentioned above you may still be entitled to some Housing Benefit once the dust settles on this issue.
Have you also enquired about over 55 Local authority or housing association properties. These may offer better long term housing accommodation security than renting privately.

xylophone

Are there any almshouses in your area?

https://www.almshouses.org/resident-vacancies/