ESA PIP & Future Pension

Mikka
Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
Hi guys. I'm just looking to the future as I like to be well prepared! I currently receive ESA & PIP and expect this to continue until retirement age. I've been in receipt of these benefits for many years due to severe disablement following an accident. I am assuming that when I eventually reach retirement age that ESA & PIP will stop? Then I will rely solely on a state pension for income. My question is if ESA & PIP stops, will I be entitled to any other form of financial support other than my state pension? It seems that relying totally on a state pension is going to be a struggle without any other financial support. Thanks in advance

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Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi there 

    I don't know about other benefits but your PIP will not stop

    You can't apply for pip after retirement age but if you already have an existing award then it will still be paid 

    You also can't get a higher mobility element than you currently have after retirement age 
  • Mikka
    Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    janer1967 said:
    Hi there 

    I don't know about other benefits but your PIP will not stop

    You can't apply for pip after retirement age but if you already have an existing award then it will still be paid 

    You also can't get a higher mobility element than you currently have after retirement age 
    Thanks so much for your reply. I get the higher rate PIP so no worries there. As far as I can tell everything else just stops which is just a tad worrying! 
  • atlas47
    atlas47 Online Community Member Posts: 237 Empowering
    Hi @Mikka

    If I was you, I’d contact AgeUK helpline to have a thorough benefits check.

    My understanding is that ESA payments are stopped, once State Pension is in payment, which is currently £170 per week, for those who meet the qualifying years (30 years of NI contributions).

    Let us know how you get on.
  • Jimmy123
    Jimmy123 Online Community Member Posts: 11 Listener
    Hi mikka, I had the same issue a couple of years ago I received esa and pip before retirement age I was sent a letter asking if I wanted to stay on the esa or change to pension credit, depending if you have a wife or partner that you claim for, in my case esa and pip was our only income with pension credit this continued until both myself and my wife reached pension age. I don't really know if the esa would have continued but seem to remember reading somewhere it would stop. Hope this helps (its my experience only.)
           Jimmy. 

  • atlas47
    atlas47 Online Community Member Posts: 237 Empowering
    Hi @Mikka

    Just to add.

    Once you have had a benefits check, undertaken on the AgeUK helpline.

    Your next port of call, should be with Future Pension Centre helpline 0800 731 0175
    which is part of DWP. You should have your NI number to hand. You will receive a State Pension forecast, by letter,  including when it will be in payment and the amount of money you will receive.

    Please note your State Pension is not taxable.

    You will receive a letter three months before your State Pension is due to come into payment. It also asks if you wish to defer to a later date!

    Keep us updated.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    atlas47 said: My understanding is that ESA payments are stopped, once State Pension is in payment, 
    ESA stops when you reach pension age regardless of whether SP is in payment.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    atlas47 said: State Pension is not taxable.
    State Pension is taxable. As woodbine says, whether or not any tax is due will depend on your circumstances. Tax will never be deducted from the State Pension but will be collected from other sources of income taking into account the SP.
  • atlas47
    atlas47 Online Community Member Posts: 237 Empowering
    Hi @woodbine

    Question to your MP @woodbine, will your constituent pay income tax on his State Pension or because of his State Pension?

    Answer from said MP, most certainly not, we would never stoop so low and we do our utmost for the well being our most valued members of our society, those of State Pension age.

    What the said MP, is utterly untruthful, based on your income (as you have correctly pointed out, a State Pension is taxable) on any income above the current £12500 tax allowance.

    Its called political deception or more stronger language could be used.

    I have the scars on my back, in dealing with my local MP, on this very subject.

    Hope this helps.
  • Mikka
    Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Many, many thanks for all your replies and helpful advice. I have some research to do. The only other benefits I get is council tax relief and warm home discount both of which are an enormous help. I guess once retirement looms it will be a matter of re-applying for these (although warm home discount is applied for each year anyway). 
  • Mikka
    Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Ps: I used the Government Gateway to obtain a pension forecast which came out at £196.78. 
  • Philonline
    Philonline Online Community Member Posts: 75 Contributor
    All very interesting, I have been worried about my state pension in years to come as being on Standard rate PIP and nothing else as I have a small inheritance that is dwindling away on bills and food, also my ex partner a bookeeper totally messed up my pension credits while I was working part time and self employed, then helped herself to a 13K  bonus from my investment towards my pension before packing her suitcase and leaving in a car I had paid for, oh well these things are sent to try us and she was clever enough to do it in a way the police could not help!
    I hope to find some sort of work I can do and start paying some credits as my pot is very low not getting any credits for the last 10 years or so, first I need to convince the doctor to get me off some nasty pain medication and send me to pain management which is a trial in itself. A close friend recently told me to look into ESA and said it was a great help to her.
  • Mikka
    Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    edited June 2021
    Hi @Philonline

    You've certainly been through the wringer! Also been on some nasty high dose morphine for 12 years which I'm trying to wean off without much success. Currently referred to/attending a pain course. The theory is fine but putting it into practice has not been very successful or useful in my case! Obviously I don't know your circumstances but deffo look into ESA at least. 
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    Mikka said:
    Many, many thanks for all your replies and helpful advice. I have some research to do. The only other benefits I get is council tax relief and warm home discount both of which are an enormous help. I guess once retirement looms it will be a matter of re-applying for these (although warm home discount is applied for each year anyway). 
    You will not have to reapply for CTR but it will obviously be recalculated to take account of your change in circumstances. and according to pension age rules rather than working age rules.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    I hope to find some sort of work I can do and start paying some credits 
    If you are prepared to be treated as a jobseeker by DWP you can apply for NI credits.
  • Mikka
    Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Thanks @calcotti once again! Good to know! 
  • Mikka
    Mikka Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    woodbine said:
    Mikka said:
    Ps: I used the Government Gateway to obtain a pension forecast which came out at £196.78. 
    Mine currently says £229, it's a complex calculation.
    I'm wondering does it increase between now and retirement or is that it? 
  • Philonline
    Philonline Online Community Member Posts: 75 Contributor
    calcotti said:
    I hope to find some sort of work I can do and start paying some credits 
    If you are prepared to be treated as a jobseeker by DWP you can apply for NI credits.
    Tried that a couple of years ago and not a chance until I qualify for some benefit or other and that wont be until my inheritance is under 16K, not long to go now after my ex beloved helped herself to a large chunk of it.
    All I get is 330 pounds per 4 weeks PIP not entitled to anything else, basically it covers my rent nothing else.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    calcotti said:
    I hope to find some sort of work I can do and start paying some credits 
    If you are prepared to be treated as a jobseeker by DWP you can apply for NI credits.
    Tried that a couple of years ago and not a chance until I qualify for some benefit or other and that wont be until my inheritance is under 16K, not long to go now after my ex beloved helped herself to a large chunk of it.
    All I get is 330 pounds per 4 weeks PIP not entitled to anything else, basically it covers my rent nothing else.
    You don't need to qualify for a benefit to get NI credits. If you apply to JobCentre as a job seeker and meet the job seeking requirements you can be awarded NI credits - you do not get paid anything.
    https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility

    If you have a health condition that limits your ability to work you can apply for new style ESA. You will not meet the paid NI contributions/credits requirements so will not be eligible to receive ESA but if the WCA finds you to have LCW you will receive NI credits for that without having to look for work.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    Mikka said:
    woodbine said:
    Mikka said:
    Ps: I used the Government Gateway to obtain a pension forecast which came out at £196.78. 
    Mine currently says £229, it's a complex calculation.
    I'm wondering does it increase between now and retirement or is that it? 
    The figure in the forecast is based on today's pension rate so the actual pension will be higher if the standard rate has risen in the interim. 
  • Philonline
    Philonline Online Community Member Posts: 75 Contributor
    You don't need to qualify for a benefit to get NI credits. If you apply to JobCentre as a job seeker and meet the job seeking requirements you can be awarded NI credits - you do not get paid anything.
    https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility
    That is exactly what I was told a few years ago Calcoti so I was taken to the job centre in North Shields signed on as a job seeker evem though I could not get any allowance or UC or ESA as I dont qualify due to having over 16K was on as a jobseeker for over a year a fought tooth and nail for credits and did not qualify as I was not pregnant getting a qualifying benefit or have child benefit in my name, gave up after a year as I got nowhere, what they dont say is if you dont qualify because you have savings you will not get it, you will if you qualify for a benefit and for some reason dont claim it..
    They say that page is just basic guidelines or they will owe me a lot of credits.