State pension form

Staffie

Registered User
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My mother is nearing the age for the state pension and she's filling out the form.

Section 6 of the form has a heading called other payments.

There is a section for living alone allowance. She won't be applying for this because she doesn't live alone. My parents are separated but I (in my 30s) live at home.

There is a section for household benefit package and fuel allowance.

Further on there is a section under this section for other payments. It requests to state the others living with you, their pps number and income.

I find this baffling to say the least. I'm not loaded. I can't afford to move out for home.

Why does the social welfare require these details?

Its not like what I earn is my mothers money or she has her hands on my wage or my wage is another source of income for her. Does that make sense?
 
I presume she is applying for a non-contributory pension which is means tested. If you contribute financially to the househould that could be considered as means. The non-contributory pension payment is only to "enable you to have an adequate standard of living; the Department would expect you to spend all or most of your pension each week in meeting your normal day-to-day living expenses". If you pay rent and you are the only person living at home with your mother, that won't be counted as means. See FAQ number 7 here.
 
Thanks Dub_Nerd

Yes, that's right. She's applying for the non contributory pension.

I don't pay rent or board to my mother. I help with bills. The majority of the household bills are in my mother's name but I pay half towards them when they come in. I could see how that would be taken into consideration in relation to the household benefits package alright.

Would me living at home and helping with bills be considered as means in relation to the pension and would it have an impact on the pension rate that she would receive.
 
It's very hard to interpret the rules for means assessment and I've no special knowledge I'm afraid. It seems that contributions to household expenses would be considered as means for certain welfare payments, but seems (as far as I can see) to be excluded for non-con pension. In any case "any money received in respect of rent from a person who lives with the pensioner, and but for that person the pensioner would be residing alone" is not counted as means. So maybe a simple workaround is to pay rent instead of bills. The rules are , but be prepared for a long read. Btw you mentioned a separation -- if there are any separation payments they are counted as means.
 
I am on invalidity pension I turn 66 on August 2018,also I get a allowance for my wife,will we both get a contributory pension automatically when I retire ,my wife turns 66 on May 2018.she does not have enough contributions to apply for her own pension.
 
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Staffie - The means test for non-contributory pension does not include income from other members of the household (other than spouse/partner), so your income won't be assessed against your mother. The assessment for additional benefits (Living Alone Allowance, Fuel Allowance and Household Benefit) does take household composition and income into account, which is why the questions are asked on the form.

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/248_State-Pension-Non-Contributory.aspx
 
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