Actor Ronan Vibert, best known for his roles in The Snowman and Saving Mr. Banks has died following a “short illness”.
05.12.2022 - 14:33 / dailyrecord.co.uk
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it has no plans to allow people diagnosed with a terminal illness to access their State Pension prior to retirement age, even if they have accrued sufficient National Insurance Contributions.The official age of retirement is 66 for both men and women and at least 10 years’ worth of National Insurance Contributions are needed for any State Pensions payment.
To be eligible for the full, New State Pension, people must have 35 years of National Insurance Contributions. Payments for the full, New State Pension are currently worth up to £185.15 per week, however, from April 2023 this will rise to £203.85.
DWP Minister for Pensions, Laura Trott MP, gave the response after SNP MP, Dave Doogan, asked about the possible policy change last week. In a written response, Ms Trott said: “We have no plans to allow early access to State Pension.”
She explained that for people at the end of their life, the UK Government’s priority is to provide financial support “quickly and compassionately”.
Ms Trott said: “The main way that the Department does this is through special benefit rules, sometimes referred to as ‘the Special Rules’.
“These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.”
The Special Rules have applied to people who have six months or less to live and now they are being changed so they apply to people who have 12 months or less to live - you can find out more about this on GOV.UK here.
However, Ms Trott highlighted that in Scotland, State Pension could potentially be paid out earlier.
She said:
Actor Ronan Vibert, best known for his roles in The Snowman and Saving Mr. Banks has died following a “short illness”.
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State Pension provides essential financial support every four weeks for more than 12.5 million people across the UK, including 981,399 living in Scotland. This regular payment of up to £185.15 per week for the Full, new State Pension or £141.85 per week for the basic old State Pension (Category A or B) is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which increased to 66 for both men and women in October 2020.
There are more than 20 million people across the UK claiming benefits or State Pension from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Some benefits such as Universal Credit can be a lifeline for those out of work or on a low income, providing crucial financial support to cope with daily living costs.
The latest figures from Social Security Scotland show that at the end of February, 2022 there were 124,081 people living in Scotland receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance. Across the UK, there are now more than 1.5 million people over State Pension age getting either £61.85 or £92.40 each week through the benefit.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that the final batch of Winter Fuel Payments have now been processed and credited to eligible claimants’ bank accounts on Monday, December 12. This year’s heating bill help also includes the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, providing up to £600 in extra support.
Millions of people claiming certain benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have started to receive a bonus payment in their bank accounts. The £10 annual bonus is made automatically which arrives separately from a claimant’s regular State Pension or benefit payment.
Basic and New State Pension payments will increase next year by 10.1% for some 12.5 million older people across the UK, including 992,052 living in Scotland. The honouring of the Triple Lock rule was confirmed last month during Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement and means that older people are set for an income boost from April, 2023.
Christmas Day is on a Sunday this year which means Boxing Day is on a Monday, however, the bank holiday status for that date has been moved to Tuesday, December 27. This means that State Pension payments and benefits for older people delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions which are due on those dates will be made earlier.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has rejected a call from Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan to provide 3.8m women across the UK, who missed out on State Pension payments due to the change in retirement age, with an interim payment to help them through the ongoing cost of living crisis while a decision is made on the amount of compensation they are due.
There are an estimated 19.2 million families and 39.8 million individuals across the UK currently in receipt of State Pension or benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) who will see their payments go up by 10.1% next year. The uprating will come into effect on April 10, 2023.
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State Pension is a contributions-based benefit that provides essential financial support for over 12.4 million older people across the UK, including some 981,399 living in Scotland. However, research by Age UK has found that an estimated 1.25 million women who are claiming State Pension are living below the breadline - equivalent to one in five.
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The latest figures from Social Security Scotland show that at the end of February, 2022 there were 124,081 people living in Scotland receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance. Across the UK, there are now more than 1.5 million people over State Pension age getting either £61.85 or £92.40 each week through the benefit.
The new Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride has confirmed that the outcome of the State Pension age review will be published before May 2023. The review will consider a wide range of evidence, including findings from two independent reports, to assess whether the rules about State Pension age remain ‘appropriate’.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that more than 11.6 million pensioner households across the UK, including around one million in Scotland, have started to receive a one-off payment worth up to £600 to help with their heating bills this winter.