SP invitation letter

Auti

Hello, first of all need to say I have tried my best (disability) all my life to not be a drain on taxpayers and have managed to pension contribute so I get a work pension of £4000 a year (ill health retirement). No longer work.
Circumstances receive PIP high care low mobility, Have legal responsibility (SGO) for child age 10, have no housing costs as paid off mortgage (very proud of that and all by myself), Pension forecast says full new style pension cannot improve further.
Question - I have been working out projected money (get UC and Contribution ESA at moment) and I think money will be come very tight once take into account school meals (free at moment) and associated child costs as no child element. Does anyone have any ideas that I have not considered as with the best will in the world child expenses will increase as child becomes a teenager. 

Thank you for any thoughts - and please no negative comments as I really have tried my best to support myself and am grateful to others who have unknowingly helped me.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Remember, from April 2025 you will start to pay tax on your existing pension.

From April the standard new State Pension is expected to be £11,962 so with a second pension of £4,000 and normal Personal Allowance likely to remain at £12,570 you will be paying around £56/month in tax.  Probably a tiny bit less if you are Scottish resident.

molerat

I think this question is more suited to the benefits board as the pensions are not in doubt, it is what else you can do once the SP comes into payment as your entitlement to your current benefits could change from then.

Kim_13

You will probably be able to make a claim for Council Tax Reduction with the local council.

Unfortunately, with a full New Style State Pension you're likely one of the edge cases where just being over the limit (for Pension Credit) leaves you worse off than being just under it. Given the child related costs it might be worth exploring in case - the worst that happens is they say you're not eligible and it's not like a UC and PIP claim where you have appointments to attend/assessments.

I understand that PIP can continue as it was in payment before SP age, but you would not be able to get a high mobility award later if your mobility deteriorated as that would effectively be a fresh claim for a benefit you were not of the qualifying age for. Were your PIP to stop, you'd then need to claim for Attendance Allowance which has no mobility component. Others more knowledgeable than me on the subject will be able to confirm.

kaMelo

I agree it's a question better suited to the benefits board but given your circumstances I don't think pension credit is out of the question. You have a PIP daily living award that adds £81.50. .Responsibilty for a child adds £66.29, a total pension credit amount of £365.94 per week which is higher than your projected income of state pension and private pension combined.

Of course there are other factors such as capital to consider but on the surface it appears you would qualify for pension credit. And of course your PIP award continues as is on top of this. 

ETA.

I'd forgotten that responsibility for  a child born before April 2017 gets a higher rate of £76.79 so actually a total pension credit level of £376.44 per week. Your PIP of £137.25 per week is unaffected.