housing benefit and council tax relief

[mrsmurphey]

can someone with the up to date info tell me how much savings for a married couple are ignored and the uper limit.

[themas]

Assuming you are below pension age all savings are ignored up to £6000 (total for the couple). From £6000 up to £16000 savings are treated as earning £1 per week for every £250 of savings & this amount is taken into account as income in working out the entitlement. If savings are £16000 or more then no HB/CTB.

[mrsmurphey]

thanks for this info. We are both 80 and of course retired and with a very small private pension.

[ubasses]

Do not forget the minimum a couple are expected to receive each week is £209 so if your joint incomes from all sources do not add up to this you can claim pension credits

[mrsmurphey]

thanks for the info re. pen sion credits, I did not know this figure

[mrsmurphey]

I have just been told that the £6000 an £16000 were the same several years ago. Surely this should have increased with inflation.

[themas]

No it hasn't. not all rates are increased with inflation. Before the figures went to £6K & £16K they were £3K & £8K. They were then doubled in one go so the powers that be probably then thought they could stay unchanged again for years.

[mrsmurphey]

thanks themas for that