Pension & benefit

Robbie64

15 years is a long time away and circumstances, and even benefits can change before then.

Housing Benefit is due to be abolished for pensioners once working age claimants have been migrated to UC. The long term intention has always been to pay a housing element in Pension Credit in a similar fashion to how it is paid to working age people in UC. In other words, how it was always paid in the old Supplementary Benefit / Pension until 1983, prior to the introduction of HB. The Government love to reinvent the wheel every so often.

peteuk

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.

Totally, however planning for the state to pay your rent in 15 yrs time  implies to me that a) they aren’t claiming now and b) they aren’t looking after their own future.  I was late taking a mortgage and so my lender would only lend to my SPA, as at that point my income drops and so does my affordability.  

FIREDreamer

HillStreetBlues said:

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.

She can’t forecast anything - she died last year, aged 80.