Pension Credit Assessed Income Period

[Margaret W]

Mum is not entitled to the usual pension credit cos of low income, but is entitled to savings credit. She had an Assessed Income Period till September 2009 during which time the leaflet says she does not need to notify them of changes in income to due investments etc. In October we sold mum's house and naturally she now has more capital, hence more income. I did not see this as anything to notify them about. However, during a conversation on a different matter, I was told I DID have to notify them, and a complicated form duly arrived in the post. On the same day (22 October) TWO notifications of increases in her Pension Credit arrived, identical, and the Assessed Income period is now until August 2012.

I had to speak to the Pensions people re her Attendance Allowance on 5th April. Apart from the mess re my query, they told me that the sale of a house would affect her savings credit, and that my mum should not have been given an AIP till 2012, it would have to be revised. Okay.

Today in the post come two more letters, absolutely identical the those received on 22 October, confirming my mums AIP as being to August 2012. And awarding her £11.24 savings credit, same as the previous two letters. One letter is dated 5 November, the other 6 November. "we are writing to tell you that the recent changes in Mrs S's income do not affect the Pension Credit she will be getting.

So can I now ignore that form regarding the sale of her house? Given that the were told about it a month ago, and again on 5th and 6th November. Her AIP is till 2012, so can I just sit tight and do nothing?

Regards

Margaret

 

[christine_batch]

Don't know if this will help!!!

Dear Margaret,
From my personnel experience with Pension Credit - duplications of the same letters saying I have so much until the what ever year they put... Then I receive my bank statement showing they have deducted £50 per week. On phone them, I am told you are classed as a single woman. I went belistic when I read that. My husband is in a E.M.I. unit, therefore I am only entitled to Pension Credit as a single person, plus my disability money. Staying in my house as if I sell and make any profit - half goes to Peter and he is only allowed to retain £12,500. You would probably guess where the other monies will go - to the powers that be.
I know it would mean extra work but send them a letter, keeping a copy.
Wishing you the best of luck. Christine

 

[jenniferpa]

Margaret, the person that told you that you had to notify them wan't the person that told you attendance allowance stopped if you were self-funded was it? Because if so, that person sounds terminally confused. My understanding is that you are right about this - the assessed income period stands unless certain very specific things happen, and all of these are related to circumstances rather than an increase in savings or income. The only thing that "might" affect you is if this assessment was done before your mother went into a care home permanently - that can terminate the assessed period, but I assume from what you say she was already resident at the time the application was made.

Stiil, one would normally say call them to get accurate information, but it strikes me that this is exactly what you have done. I would say, and this is a very personal decision, that if you are sure that the forms were filled out correctly, I would take what they say at face value - you have no need to notify them further. Obviously make sure you keep all the correspondence though.

 

[Nebiroth]

I would suggest that you take all of this to your local Citizens Advice. Also, consider writing to the DWP voicing your concerns, via recorded mail, and make sure you keep a copy.

Of course, places like the DWP and Revenue will insist that things are your fault because you didn;t tell them something, even when you didn;t tell them because they told you not to.


Absurd.

 

[dave b]

this is probably the wrong thread to say this,but as you know mom went into a home a month ago she's loving it,we should have gone down this road a couple of months earlier!on the credit,aa, i am not realy sure wich way to go?
i'm leaning towards not saying a word to the state & letting things roll any ideas?
dave.

 

[jenniferpa]

Dave is your mother self funding? Because if so the AA will continue and you don't need to tell anyone anything. If she's not though, I would tell them, if only because that will be a substantial amount that would need to be repaid when they catch up with you (as they almost certainly will do).

 

[dave b]

thanks jennifer,we are self funding
if your right we should be ok,she is on the basic aa. somebody said a couple of weeks ago that there is a higher rate of aa any ideas? i know i'm greedy but if i can take our masters for every cent wer'e entitled to i will!

 

[Grannie G]

Dear Dave
The higher rate AA is for someone who needs supervision, help, and is at risk day and night .

 

[dave b]

thanks sylvia
does that include being in a care home? or do they asess that themselves?
do i say anything?
dave

 

[jenniferpa]

No, I don't think the care home will take point on this - you'll have to make the application yourself. And, I would guess, if you need to be in care home because your need 24/7 supervision you absolutely should be entiled to the higher rate of AA. My mother got it even before she went into care.

 

[dave b]

sylvia/jennifer,thanks for the advice i'm not realy sure how to apply for the higher AA i might phone moms old sw she might help but i think since she went into the home they have closed the file!( i got that impression from the last contact with her goodbye it was nice working with you)
dave.

 

[Grannie G]

My husband is on the Higher Rate. There is no way he could be left by himself, day or night.

So I would assume anyone in a residential home would be entitled to the higher rate

 

[jenniferpa]

Dave I think you either fill out a new form or, possibly, contact them for reassessment. Let me see what I can find out.

 

[jenniferpa]

I think you should follow the instructions on Directgov

Once you have made your claim
Once you have made your claim, you can get advice on Attendance Allowance from the Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance Helpline who should have access to your records.
Telephone: 08457 123 456
Textphone: 08457 22 44 33
The helpline is open from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday.
Email: DCPU.Customer-Services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Elsewhere it says that if your circumstances change you should contact the office that dealt with your claim. I'd call the help-line (above) first though.

 

[dave b]

thanks jennifer,
will give it a call let you know next week how i get on
thanks dave.

 

[Clive]

“i know i'm greedy but if i can take our masters for every cent wer'e entitled to i will!”



Hi Dave

You are not being greedy. Your family are already paying for healthcare that we all believed would be provided by the NHS. The higher rate AA just makes the pain a little less.

The Government, in their wisdom, have decided to provide two levels of AA. If your loved one has had to go into a Home because they need looking after both day and night they qualify for higher rate AA and you MUST apply. (Remember the qualification is that there is a NEED for help during both day and night… and not that help is given during both day and night).

The form (from the same place as the original AA form), asks you to name someone who can say what your loved ones condition is. I used the CPN. It also asks why they need help during the night. I included the fact that mum had Alzheimer’s disease and had no memory and would open the door if the bell was rung in the night. I also put in about her incontinence.

The form also asks when they first needed help, which could now be a year or two ago, and why you have not informed the authorities before. I quite honestly said that help had been required for a couple of years but I had only found out about the higher rate of AA when the private Care Company had reassessed mum. (You heard about it from the Alzheimer’s Society !! ).

When I applied, several years ago, you got paid from the date you ask for the form. So sooner you ring, sooner the money starts.

Best of luck.

Clive

 

[Skye]

When I applied, several years ago, you got paid from the date you ask for the form. So sooner you ring, sooner the money starts.

Clive, this has now changed. They now pay from six months after the need is approved. They say this is because the need may only be temporary!!!!!!

Therefore it is important to date the start of the need to six months before the application. You need to agree this with the person who will be confirming your application, though.

Someone from the local office of AS or PRT will do this for you, and help you fill in the form in a way that makes sure you won't be turned down.

 

[Margaret W]

Dave b, if your mum needs care both day and night (need not be all day or all night) she should be entitled to the higher rate, currently £64.50 a week, not taxable. If she is self-funding and meets the care criteria, there should be no argument.

Clive, Skye is right, the AA is only payable 6 months after the person first needed such care. So any newbies applying, think carefully as to when your parent first needed care. We were able to argue 5th January this year, so got it from 5th July. They were quite reasonable at accepting our statements, I was very full and frank with them.

Jennifer, yes the person who told me that mum wouldn't get AA is the same person who told me she had to fill in the form re the change in circumstances. It is difficult to decide when the assessment was done, all four letters I have had state from 5th August 2007, and mum went into the home on 3rd August, which they knew about within a matter of days. All of the letters appeared in the last couple of weeks, when they also knew that her house had been sold on 12th October - which I was told by one clerk was a major life changing event "not like inheriting £100,000". Sorry, I would have thought the latter was more life-changing than selling your home, as far as benefits are concerned.

My mum was not resident in a care home at the time the application was made, she was still in hospital, but AA was not payable for all of that period anyway, despite her being awarded it. So they knew about that.

Just a word of warning folks. The helpline 08457 123456 is indeed open 7.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. but you will only get a call centre clerk. If you need to talk details of an individual case you will find the appropriate staff are only there 9-5.

It is a minefield.

Margaret