Pension Credit Case Study

Case Study 1 

Background 

A pension aged tenant living with an illness/disability living alone in Belfast. He was referred to the Welfare Advice Officer (WAO) by the Income Officer (IO) for a benefit check as the tenant had expressed difficulty managing his rent. He was currently paying his full rent and rates as a self-funder. 

WAO contacted tenant to discuss his circumstances and followed up with a home appointment. 

The WAO established that the tenants only source of income was his state pension of £181 per week and he was using his savings of around £10k to pay his rent weekly, thus his savings were reducing significantly.   

The tenant said he had previously had a joint claim to pension credit and housing benefit with his wife, but this ceased when she moved out of the household and into care. He said that he did not know he could claim it again. 

The WAO carried out a benefit entitlement check and established that he was under the threshold and eligible for pension credit and housing benefit and should apply. The WAO assisted the tenant with an online application to Housing Benefit and a telephone claim to pension credit. They also advised and assisted with a claim to Attendance allowance as the tenant had an illness / disability and required assistance daily. 

Outcome 

In addition to his state pension, the tenant is now receiving pension credit (guarantee credit) of £20.50 per week. As he receives pension credit, he now receives full housing benefit of £122.50 per week. 

He is now entitled to receive future cost of living payments from the government and as the claim to Pension Credit was backdated 3 months; he will also receive the previous payment. He awaits the outcome of the Attendance Allowance which will further increase his income by either £68.10 or £101.75 per week. 

If Attendance Allowance is successful, an additional premium of £76.40 per week may be paid on top of his pension credit.