widows pension?

lisyloo · 24 April 2018 at 8:37AM

Hi,

My FIL died recently. He was 89 and his state pension was about £195 per week.
MIL is 90 and her state pension is about £74.
When I phoned up to report the death they said her pension might go up.

I've had new pension credit paperwork based on her existing pension.

Should I be expecting her state pension to increase?

I'm asking as I want to know whether to wait/chase or whether I should contact LA about her care home fees on the latest pension credit figures.

Thanks

p.s. I have googled but as usual it's not straightforward as there are so many scenarios

pmlindyloo · 24 April 2018 at 10:38AM

You might want to contact these people:

https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/about-pensions/the-state-pension/death-benefits

As regards the care home then just inform them about the latest pension credit payments.

If she is awarded more state pension then she will have to inform Pension Credit as this may be affected and then notify the care home.

xylophone · 24 April 2018 at 10:54AM

See

https://www.savvywoman.co.uk/2012/07/what-happens-to-your-state-pension-when-you-die/

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs48_pension_credit_fcs.pdf

lisyloo · 24 April 2018 at 11:10AM

Thanks all.

Looks like she is entitled to more state pension, which as you correctly say will knock onto pension credit and care fees.
Thanks for the info as I now know what I!!!8217;m waiting for.

I did inform pension service, pension credit and LA for council tax and care fees.

teddysmum · 24 April 2018 at 6:17PM

Does she own the family home ,as no longer being required for her husband would mean it is now eligible to be added to her assests ?

lisyloo · 25 April 2018 at 8:45AM

Yes correct teddysmum.
Pension credit stated the home will be disregarded for 12 months provided we are selling it (I think that’s generous).
LA have not replied but I believe there is a 12 week disregard for the care fees (and that’s not discretionary according to age uk).
No complaints about any of that as I consider it generous.

We will be seeking deputy ship to sell the home and also to claim a small life assurance for which she is named as executor.
Family have so far been focussed on funeral (eulogy, music, flowers,wake) as well as concern for MIL but I anticipate we’ll start on the forms ASAP.
Deputyship May take some time but I think the 2 bed retirement flat should sell quite quickly as it’s one of the larger ones.

SandraScarlett · 25 April 2018 at 4:34PM

I just want to say I hope all goes smoothly for you and your family. You've got a tough time ahead, sorting out the funeral, and all that entails, as well as coping with your MIL's finances.

Don't be surprised if you have to wait a while to hear about her revised pension. When my husband died, I advised the Powers That Be, and weeks went by, and I hadn't heard anything, so I phoned again.

I was told that my husband had died at a very inconvenient time - 2 days before Christmas, when they were closed for 2 weeks, until the New Year!

I apologised for his thoughtless demise, and said that I intended to go to a s!ance, and ask him that if he was reincarnated, to make sure that the next time he died, it wasn't during a holiday period!

The only comment I received was "right". I wish you all the best.

SandraScarlett · 25 April 2018 at 4:36PM

I don't know why the word "s e a n c e" has been altered in my post - it's not a swear word!

lisyloo · 25 April 2018 at 4:48PM

Thanks for your best wishes.
That's an awful thing for someone to have said !!

It's not a particularly big area of stress.
We know the home has to be sold and we know the fees have to be paid and we know it's going to be a while so cals will have to be done in arrears.

At least I know a change (increase) is outstanding so I can chase it up.

lisyloo · 5 May 2018 at 9:04AM

Update - pension increased from 74 to 197. Pension credit stopped.
Doesn!!!8217;t make much odds to her as she only gets £24.90, but of course I need to make the correct claims.

Discussing/agreeing deputyship today and starting forms (all 5 of them).

Tabbytabitha · 5 May 2018 at 9:40AM

SandraScarlett wrote: »

I don't know why the word "s e a n c e" has been altered in my post - it's not a swear word!

The forum can't cope with accents, you'd be fine just to write seance.

widows pension?

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