ESA PIP & Future Pension — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

ESA PIP & Future Pension

Mikka
Mikka 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

«1

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    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 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! 
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    When you say "everything else just stops" what benefits other than ESA (will stop) and PIP (won't stop)do you currently claim ?
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • atlas47
    atlas47 Community member Posts: 238 Pioneering
    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.
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    The new full unified state pension is £179.60 per week, you may get more than this or you may get less, more depends on opting out (to put it simply) less if you have less than 35 years cont. but more than 10 years for a reduced pension.

    https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • Jimmy123
    Jimmy123 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 Community member Posts: 238 Pioneering
    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.
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    @atlas47 state pension is classed as "earned income" and is therefore potentially taxable, if your SRP is less than your personal allowance then of course it won't be taxed, if your total income exceeds personal allowance then tax will be payable.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    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.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    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.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • atlas47
    atlas47 Community member Posts: 238 Pioneering
    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 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 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    Ps: I used the Government Gateway to obtain a pension forecast which came out at £196.78. 
  • Philonline
    Philonline Community member Posts: 75 Courageous
    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 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 Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    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.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    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.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • Mikka
    Mikka Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    Thanks @calcotti once again! Good to know! 
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    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.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • Mikka
    Mikka 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? 

Brightness

Do you need advice on your energy costs?


Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.