Any advice on state pension age/benefits,

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

debzwalker

Can anybody please advise me.  I am currently in receipt of income related ESA (I live on my own), and I also get severe disability premium. I am also in receipt of PIP (mobility standard rate and daily living enhanced rate).  I also have my council tax paid in full.

I have been on the gov.uk website and upon reaching state pension age, I will receive full state pension. I will also be in receipt of a private pension of £80 per week.    

My question is, if anybody can please advise, when I am in receipt of state pension and private pensions, will I be eligible for one of the pension credit rates? And if so, does that make me eligible for my Council Tax being paid? Thank you 

poppy123456

As you maybe aware you will need to make sure you claim your state pension. Once you reach this age your ESA will end the day before you reach state pension age because it can't be paid after this time. 

As your ESA includes the SDP this can be included with Pension Credit, which you will also need to claim yourself. Your State Pension and other Pension will both be treated as Income when calculating any entitlement to Pension Credit. As you will be receiving full state pension as well as £80/week private pension then there maybe no entitlement to Pension Credit. 

There's a Pension Credit calculator here that you can fill in. When you do this please do it as if you're already state pension age and it will tell you if there's any entitlement.pension-credit-calculator

Even if there's a 1p entitlement this will entitle you to full council Tax reduction and housing benefit (if you claim that) If there's no entitlement then how much CTR and HB you're entitled to will depend on your circumstances.