Armed Forces Pension and Tax Credits

bones8229

Please help. I am trying to find the definitive answer as to whether an Armed Forces Pension is taken into consideration when applying for Tax Credits. My reason for asking is that five years ago I applied for Housing Benefit and was told by the staff at the Benefits Office that as my Army Pension was mine by right there was no requirement to disclose it for any Benefits I wished to claim. I have recently had need to apply to the local Housing Association for accommodation and when I mentioned the fact I had been in the Forces they wanted to know details of my Pension. As you can appreciate I am now in somewhat of a predicament as I do not wish to approach Benefits in case they decide that it should be included. Thank you for any help you can give.

Andy_L

If it is a war pension (ie as a result of injury "in the line of duty") it is ignored for HB. For tax credits the extra pension it pays above an "ordinary" pension is ignored

If it is just an ordinary armed forces pension (ie paid after 22 years service or reaching 60/65) it should be counted as income for both.