Transitional Protection Query.

brian1971

As I receive state pension of £921.00 monthly and am part of a mixed age couple I understand that this amount is taken into consideration concerning a joint claim my wife and I made for universal credit. I expect a deduction will be made from the amount we will receive, but wondered if we will receive the same amount of UC as we did with the legacy benefits such as income related ESA.

Hopefully the transitional protection will mean we will receive the same amount as we did with the legacy benefits.

Kimi87

UC works by adding up entitlements, then making deductions.

It is the amount before deductions that Transitional Protection will apply too.

Your pension will be deducted in full.

Are you able to use a benefits calculator to estimate your joint award at all?

https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

The Citizens Advice Help to Claim service can also estimate your award for you, and offer support throughout the process including checking that your first payment statement is correct.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/claiming/contact-us-about-universal-credit/

Mixed age couples are a complex area to give advice on so I'd always advise the H2C service, or a local welfare rights organisation.

https://advicefinder.turn2us.org.uk/

brian1971

I thought as much! With my state pension being deducted in full this means a loss of £921.00 monthly. Transitional protection is complete nonsense. I might as well inform the State Pension office that I no longer want the £921.00 monthly award I paid stamps for nearly forty years. Pointless receiving it if it is deducted in full from the UC my wife and I should be getting in a few weeks.

brian1971

Forgot to add that I cannot, and never could, use a benefits calculator.

Kimi87

In which case there are the organisations mentioned who can do it for you, Scope helpline or Age Concern are others.

https://www.scope.org.uk/helpline

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/age-uk-advice-line/

The member feedback about Citizens Advice Help to Claim service has been largely positive.

brian1971

Many thanks Kimi.

brian1971

Just received the following information from a reliable source:

In a joint claim for Universal Credit (UC), the State Pension becomes "worthless" (in the sense that it completely offsets your UC payment) when the total amount of your combined monthly State Pension and any other income equals or exceeds your calculated maximum Universal Credit award. 

brian1971

As my state pension will be entirely soaked up by the UC joint claim I see no point in receiving it. I will phone the department dealing with my state pension and make the request to have it stopped as the UC claim, when payments are in place in a few weeks, would reduce my £921.00 monthly payment to zero. The huge loss of money is far worse than the loss of the winter fuel allownce last year as it means a financial loss of £921.00 monthly or £11.052 a year. Last year's loss of the winter fuel of £200 or £300 does not compare with this diabolical injustice.

Kimi87

If you have pension funds available after pension age and choose not to take them, that is classed as deliberate deprevation of capital and you'd be treated as still having the money.

Your pension reducing your UC award to zero isn't inevitable, you need to get advice on a calculation to see what your award will end up as and then take things from there.

brian1971

Yes, you are correct Kimi. I did not think about this. I will continue to receive my state pension which I deserve to receive having paid my stamps for several decades. Many thanks for the information and advice.