State pension and disability entitlement

anonhelp

Hi there

My mum has just received her state pension letter and she will be entitled to the full amount of £179.60 per week. 

Obviously her ESA will then stop, however her ESA is currently £114.10 plus she gets severe disability premiums (she has learning disabilities and physical impairments) so in total per week she gets £198.60 at the present time. 

So as of July, she will receive near on £100 less per month because her state pension is less weekly, than her current ESA with her disabled top ups (as a side note, she already receives PIP).

I have done a pension credit calculation and it says she isn’t entitled as she already gets the maximum amount of state pension. 

Are there any additional disabled premiums as a state pension bolt on that we can apply for that might offset this loss?

It seems unfair she will now be £100 per month down, given that everything else around us in the current climate is significantly increasing. Almost like turning pensionable age means she will be punished and have to spend less- again difficult given the current climate. 

Any advice would be appreciated. 

poppy123456

When someone reaches state pension age the Severe Disability Premium (£67.30 per week) is paid as part of Pension Credit so it’s this she will need to claim. 

The Enhanced Disability Premium that’s paid with her ESA can’t be claimed once she reaches state pension age because it’s part of ESA. 

anonhelp

Many thanks for your reply. So because she gets top rate care and mobility with PIP as I right in thinking she would be entitled to the SDP? It did not ask on the PC form if she is in receipt of PIP- so I am not sure how I would tell them this. 

When I don’t the calculation on their online calculator it wasn’t showing she was entitled to PC because her state pension is maximum. 

On the giverbmebt website it states this 
‘

Severe disability premium

You must get the disability premium or income-related ESA, and one of the following qualifying benefits:

• PIP daily living component
• AFIP
• DLA care component at the middle or highest rate
• Attendance Allowance (or Constant Attendance Allowance paid with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Pension)’

It does not list state pension and states that she would need to be on ESA, which would stop in July- so would she actually be entitled to the SDP? 

calcotti

With the SDP included Pension Credit will top her income up to £244.40/week which is more than she currently gets on ESA. She will have an extra £200/month.

poppy123456

Yes, it’s paid through pension credit. See link
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/disability-premiums-in-benefits
She will need to contact them (Pension credit) to apply for the SDP. 

Extra Pension Credit for severely disabled people or carers

If someone gets Attendance Allowance or the middle or highest rate care component of DLA, PIP or AFIP, they may be entitled to extra Pension Credit of £67.30. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit/pension-credit-and-help-for-disabled-people

If she will be receiving a works pension then this will reduce the amount of Pension Credit she’ll be entitled to.

anonhelp

This makes sense, I am not sure why the calculator did not show this. Thank you for your help. 

calcotti

anonhelp said:

On the giverbmebt website it states this 

Don’t know what page you were looking at
https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/what-youll-get

If you have a severe disability
You could get an extra £67.30 a week if you get any of the following:

• Attendance Allowance

• the middle or highest rate from the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

• the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

calcotti

anonhelp said:

This makes sense, I am not sure why the calculator did not show this. Thank you for your help. 

When you complete the Pension Credit calculator there is a page that asks about other benefits. You must have completed that page incorrectly.