Pension Tax Credit and income

pinkbanana2

Hi, I am new here, so apologies if this has been asked before. I am 73, receive maximum PTC (£227.10 per week) as I am single and last year in June I was made redundant. I have no savings or other pension and live with my son. It appears that I cannot earn any additional income to supplement the PTC, to bring it up to a liveable wage, so that I could afford my own flat. Is this correct?

molerat

Pension credit tops up your income to £227.10, more income will reduce the pension credit amount. But with pension credit you will get rent and council tax etc paid. The problem of course could be getting through the checks for a private rental with not enough income to pay for it. You may be eligible for social housing, have you tried that avenue ? Does living with your son make the property "overcrowded" ? How long have you lived there ?

This is probably better suited to the Benefits board, loads of experts on there, so have reported to be moved.

pinkbanana2

Thank you so much for speedy response. I don't qualify for social housing, you have to be homeless and that's not the case in my situation.

molerat

As I asked earlier, how long have you lived there and why at 73 do you want to live somewhere else ?

Not being nosey but trying to understand the dynamics of the situation.

pinkbanana2

I've been here since 2019. I have been trying to find my own place but it's impossible to find a rental I can afford ...

pinkbanana2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81866180#Comment_81866180

Hi again, sorry I did not read your earlier comment correctly .. the issue is definitely overcrowding. So I wonder what I should do?

Regards

itsthelittlethings

You can claim housing benefit towards private rent if you’re on pension credit I think. You would also be able to claim council tax reduction.

Also with social housing you will be a higher priority if you’re overcrowded (do people including older children share a bedroom due to you living there? I think you would have to be sharing a bedroom to count as overcrowded for the purpose of you gaining priority in social housing). In addition, there can be over 55s social housing which is much easier to obtain than ordinary social housing. Have you looked in to this?

pinkbanana2

Thank You .. I will look into all of these points.

itsthelittlethings

You might count as overcrowded as you share a kitchen, bathroom and living room with your son - I’m not 100% sure on this point.