– WHA resident, Graham Sankey, warns others of a pension pot pitfall that could leave you out of pocket
Our Money Advice Officer Steven Higham has been busy supporting our residents to take control of their money matters – and recently helped Graham Sankey avoid losing his Housing Benefit by making him aware of his legal rights.
Graham had been faced with a letter from the Council which stated he was not entitled to Housing Benefit because they had chosen not to access their pension pot when they retired, so this was considered capital.
The decision would have resulted in Graham having to pay all of his rent from his limited pension – and also having to pay back all the Housing Benefit they had already claimed.
Steven referred to the law that states that pension pots cannot be counted as capital, and the Council should instead work out how much would be paid if the pension was taken at retirement age, then calculate Housing Benefit based on this assumed income.
With the help of Steven to understand his legal rights and to communicate with the Council, Graham successfully appealed the case and now gets help towards his rent, and only has to pay back some of the Housing Benefit he had previously claimed.
Graham is keen to share his experiences with other WHA residents who may have received similar correspondence from the council.
To understand your rights or for money advice, contact Steven today by calling 01925 246810 or emailing stevenh@wha.org.uk
