F.A.O. Nukecad - U.C. Query

[Priffy]

Hiya Nukecad, query about universal credit if you could help/advise please.

I have a friend, widower, under retirement age. His only income is £328 per month from his late wifes' pension.
Owns his house outright so no mortgage.
His daughter lives with him and has just started work.
I thought he might be entitled to some universal credit but he thinks not because of the pension money but that only works out at £57 per week.
Ordinarily I'd have suggested he tries a benefit checker but he has some mental health problems, so he tends not to have the patience to bother with things, hence he hasn't applied for sickness benefits in the past, though I understand he recently applied for PIP but was turned down. I don't think he understood the criteria to be honest.
Anyway, I'd be grateful if you could advise as to whether that amount of pension would rule out U.C. for him.
Very many thanks in advances for any info/advise.

[nukecad]

It would seem that he would not qualify for UC, unless he can get LCWRA added to it. (Means a work capability assessment of course).

Or rather he should qualify and his standard allowance for UC (without LCWRA) would be £317.85 a month, but the unearned income from the private pension is higher than that.
As unearned income is deducted £1 for £1 from UC then that would wipe the UC payment out.

However if he makes a UC claim on ill-health grounds and can get LCWRA at assessment then that would give an extra £336.20 a month in UC, payable from 3 months after he claims. (So first payment in the 4th month).
Adding that to the £317.85 then deducting £328 for the pension would leave £326.02 UC payable a month, on top of his pension, which would almost double his current income.

He is probably already eligible for Council Tax Relief if he is not already claiming that, I don't know his postcode or CT banding so couldn't say how much.

You could run through the calculator for him yourself if you have the time, there is no limit to how many times you use them so you could try without LCWRA and again with it to see what I mean.
I usually use the Entitledto calculator: https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

As well as what you have already told us it will ask for - his postcode, his age, his daughters age, her working hours and wage, Council Tax band or bill, any savings he has, and whether you think he would qualify for LCW/LCWRA in UC (It tells you to guess at that one if you haven't been assessed yet).

If you don't know the others you could also take a guess at those.
Don't worry too much about the daughters wages either, it shouldn't affect his entitlement to UC so just put something reasonable.

[Priffy]

Thank you so much for taking the time to go through that for me Nukecad, it was very good of you, especially so late at night and at the weekend too. I'm very grateful to you indeed.

What a shame that he's just those few pounds over the limit. I told him I didn't know much about U.C. but that I knew a man that did I'm certainly glad I told him not take anything I said about U.C. as gospel!
Next time I see him I will tell him what you've said and will try to convince him to apply for U.C. and go through a WCA. He has nothing to lose by trying if he feels up to it.
Many thanks again Nukecad, you are a star!




P.S.

I read your comments about B&W and I agree with you Nukecad. I don't like that they charge money either, though I have to admit, that when I first found this site and B&W, I did think, for a very short time, that you might have been Gordon - i'm very sorry about that

[nukecad]

especially so late at night and at the weekend too.

I did think, for a very short time, that you might have been Gordon - i'm very sorry about that

Well my Hypersomnolence is playing up at the moment and day/night has very little distinction for me, I'm in an unconcious sleep a lot and the few hours that I am awake can be at anytime of day. (Although I can usually manage to be awake around teatime it's by no means certain).

I don't know who Gordon is on there, I may take a look now, (or maybe not).