Friend on pension credits

She is below pension age

🤔 I'm confused.

If she is below pension age, how can she get pension credit?

Work til we drop?

I agree about the lady’s age being a problem. Both partners need to be above SP age in order to receive Pension Credit

Her husband gets pension credits. He is of pensionable age, now, but was medically unfit before he hit 65. Nowadays, you're supposed to get Universal Credit.

I'm a bit bitter at the moment. Still working at 66.

Well she isn't getting it, her husband is.

Sharina please supply more information regarding your friend and pension credits. Atm I am confused... Not of pensionable age??

I havbe not explained myself clearly. She is refusing to work, in case the pension credits are taken away, as it would push up her income, while she works cash in hand.

Sorry, crossed posts.

Her husband is the pensioner. She is not. They claim pension credits.

How does she get away with refusing to work?
Does she not have have appointments at the job centre?

They won’t be on a fortune!

All claims to ANY benefit are financially assessed against strict criteria.

These are the current rules

“ As of 15 May 2019, mixed age couples are no longer able to choose whether they claim Universal Credit, Pension Credit or pension-age Housing Benefit. Instead, mixed age couples can only claim Universal Credit until they both reach State Pension age. April 2024”

Sometimes people are a bit confused as to which benefits they are actually receiving. Both UC and Pension Credits are means tested, so although it sounds wrong, and all who can work should work, in this case if he was medically retired she may well be his main carer.

If she is just cleaning I doubt the amount she is earning would be enough to affect his pension credit. It does not sound as though they would be rich living like this.

On one hand you say she refuses to work, then you say she works cash in hand. You don't sound as if you like this friend very much.

Despite any rights and or wrongs and I do not know enough about the benefits system to comment even in general, if this friend is fiddling the system or, more kindly, exploiting it that is their business not yours. Cleaning is not going to earn her riches and “cash in hand” while illegal, is all too common in the black economy.
Move on.

No, she is not his carer. She just refuses to work.

I have no idea how much this lady is earning cash in hand "just cleaning " but I do know that I am earning almost twice as much as a self employed cleaner (paying tax, insured, police checked) than I ever was as a NNEB Nursery Nurse having trained at college full time for 2 years and having over 30 years experience. So don't presume she's not making enough money to affect his/her benefits.
They may not be rich but nevertheless it is fraud and it is wrong and I have every sympathy with the OP

You're right. I'm just annoyed at how pensioners are having their winter heating taken away, while some people choose not to work. You're right. I will move on. I just needed a mini vent!

I don't like people who fiddle the system, when I have to pay taxes.

If your friend is on universal credit, then refusing to work won't be an option.

Perhaps she isn't claiming it, though.

I know people who receive Pension Credit but they have many thousands savings, can afford to run a car, go to the cinema and have two holidays a year. My income is just over the limit so nowt for me.

I expect they've done that "ringfencing" with their savings.