Hi, my name is MissG!

MissG

Good Morning All,

I am new on here and I am finding the site to be very productive and supportive of people so I thought I would join.

I am retired early due to ill health, but manage very well after a long battle with a rare cancer.

Boredom is my main issue as previously I was very busy working as the Artist in Residence in a Primary School working mainly with kids who struggle…with anything.

I have been on a journey with all of the benefit people and I am now on awaiting a new PIP decision.

I have an option of taking an early pension pot, but I am on UC and I do not want to sound greedy here, but if I take it I will receive no help from benefits.

It is all rather Catch22.

I would like to use some of the cashpot in travelling around as I have missed out on a lot of life these past few years.

It seems I would then be marked as wasting the savings.

I would end up spending my early pension on rent and bills.

I hope I am not coming across as ungrateful because that is certainly not the case.

It is all rather confusing.

I believe I would be entitled to £6000 in savings.

Anyhoo, there are a lot of personal pronouns here! Too many lol.

Being cancer free is a true miracle after the terminal diagnosis I had in the beginning and I would like to state that the NHS have been my saviours.

All of them.

Hospital is hard.

If you need any advice on what to take…just ask.

Expert advice will be given. ;-)

Thanks for reading.

Kind regards Julie. x

Bluebell21

@MissG Hi Julie welcome to the Community. I am sorry I am not able to answer your questions regarding benefits but hopefully another member will be able too.

Thank you for telling us something about yourself.

Have a look around and join in when you are ready.

Take care.

Santosha12

@MissG Hi Julie, welcome! and nice to meet you 🤝 I'm so pleased your cancer free now and that the NHS helped you so much, they did for my mum they were amazing.

I took a very small private pension c 17 yrs ago that gets deducted off my UC. I had the option at the time to take a larger amount, monthly, but glad I didn't. The small amount was in addition to a lump sum which I used to pay off a loan which, in hindsight, was the right thing to do for me as it was variable interest too.

When I get the state pension in 5 years (I'm nearly 62) the small pension of only 120 a month will likely take me over the amount to get pension credit. And I'll be taxed on it too as I have for nearly 17 yrs.

I'm sorry this doesn't really answer your points. I think you can have up to 16k in savings but above 6k there is then a deduction each month off UC but I don't know how much. Over 16k and UC stops I think.

I wish you a good outcome re PIP. I went through the mandatory reconsideration and then Tribunal which was all very challenging over an 18 month period and was awarded standard for daily living. I should have appealed re mobility which is a lot worse but have not done so.

Just a thought re early pension. Could you have an option to take part of it/smaller amount/25%. I don't know pension rules sorry.

With very best wishes to you x

MissG

Thank you so much for your reply. Your words are really helpful.

It is a minefield of too much information of not the right content! Lol.

I filled in the form online and I was lucky enough to know how to upload documents etc.

The girl on the phone was so lovely and helpful. We had a good laugh.

This was just to receive the application form, but it was all very painless.

We shall see what the experts conclude.

Thank again.

xx

luvpink

@MissG

Sorry I don't have any advice but a very warm welcome to the community.

MissG

Thank you. X