Pension & benefit

german_keeper

Silvertabby said:

Really a bit pointless asking what the rules are now  - 15 years is a long time in politics.

And life in general. For example someone picks the right 6 numbers twice a week however unlikely.

Brie

salimnina said:

So it is means testes benefits depending on work and state pension and there will be a threshold when to start covering the rent.

Housing benefit is means tested.  So if you are below a certain threshold (according to current rules) you may be entitled to having a portion of your rent paid.  But as others have said you are responsible for it being paid, even when benefits are paying something towards it. 

And it's not automatic, you have to apply for it.  That's why others have suggested you look on entitledto.co.uk 

peteuk

Totally pointless post - Op is 15 yrs away from pensionable age, at present.  We can have 3 or 4 elections between now and then and rules change.  So applying today’s rules and benefits means nothing.

OP could get hit by a bus tomorrow, as my mum used to say. Could win the lotto….

15 yrs is to far in the future.  

Not sure why the Op things someone will step in and pay their rent. I will be mortgage free on reaching SPA.  Its horses for courses.

Rubyroobs

When you turn state pension age you may be eligible to claim housing benefit towards your rent but this is means tested so it will depend what state pension and private pensions you receive and whether you have savings. generally if you have savings over 16k you won't be eligible to claim housing benefit unless you are also in receipt of pension credit Gaurantee.

kaMelo

I'd tend to agree with Pete here. Planning to rely on state benefits in 15 years time according to the rules of today is, in my view, leaving yourself in a very vulnerable position.

Whoever is in Government needs to make the welfare state budget sustainable and no one can know when and how they may choose to do so.

itsthelittlethings

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mortgage which they have paid off by the time that they retire. Benefits are there for people when they need them and at the moment housing benefit is available for pensioners on a low income to help with their rent, which I think is fair. Some people through no fault of their own don’t have the choice of buying a house or saving a great deal for their retirement. I think some of the posts on this thread are very judgemental.

Flugelhorn

itsthelittlethings said:

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mortgage which they have paid off by the time that they retire. Benefits are there for people when they need them and at the moment housing benefit is available for pensioners on a low income to help with their rent, which I think is fair. Some people through no fault of their own don’t have the choice of buying a house or saving a great deal for their retirement. I think some of the posts on this thread are very judgemental.

I thought that part of the affordability of mortgages was looking at retirement ages and the ability to continue to fund it after that age etc

itsthelittlethings

Flugelhorn said:

itsthelittlethings said:

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mortgage which they have paid off by the time that they retire. Benefits are there for people when they need them and at the moment housing benefit is available for pensioners on a low income to help with their rent, which I think is fair. Some people through no fault of their own don’t have the choice of buying a house or saving a great deal for their retirement. I think some of the posts on this thread are very judgemental.

I thought that part of the affordability of mortgages was looking at retirement ages and the ability to continue to fund it after that age etc

Some people never get a mortgage.

HillStreetBlues

Someone over state pension age asked if they would get a winter fuel payment shortly before the Government changed policy , they were told they would (correct at the time), now it's might.
If advice changes in 15 days, even Mystic Meg couldn't forecast what will happen in 15 years.

Flugelhorn

itsthelittlethings said:

Flugelhorn said:

itsthelittlethings said:

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a mortgage which they have paid off by the time that they retire. Benefits are there for people when they need them and at the moment housing benefit is available for pensioners on a low income to help with their rent, which I think is fair. Some people through no fault of their own don’t have the choice of buying a house or saving a great deal for their retirement. I think some of the posts on this thread are very judgemental.

I thought that part of the affordability of mortgages was looking at retirement ages and the ability to continue to fund it after that age etc

Some people never get a mortgage.

exactly and it might be much harder in retirement for them - lack of security re accommodation and rent levels