The background
Mr O had been receiving Universal Credit, which paid him a personal allowance and covered his housing costs. But when he turned 66, his Universal Credit payments stopped, and he had to claim state pension. Unfortunately, he couldn’t afford his rent and fell behind with his payments.
How we helped
Bupe, one of our Money Advice Team advisors, realised Mr O hadn’t claimed any help with his rent though Housing Benefit. He immediately submitted a backdated Housing Benefit application to the local council.
Bupe also looked into how much State Pension Mr O was receiving and discovered it was well below the standard minimum. Because he didn’t have any savings or private pensions, Bupe submitted a Pension Credit application, which was accepted.
The outcome
Mr O now receives £114 in Pension Credit every week. He’s also up to date with his rent payments and receiving all of the wider benefits that come with claiming Pension Credit.
Struggling with paying your rent? We’re here to help
If you’re worried about rent arrears, benefits or a change in your circumstances, it’s important you talk to us as soon as possible. You can get in touch by calling us on 0345 60 20 540, we can then refer you to our Money Advice Team, who’ll be happy to help.
