BENEFITS EXPERT: Allowance will convert when you reach state pension age

Q. I currently receive Reduced Earnings Allowance and I am due to retire, I have had confirmation from the DWP that this benefit will end when I reach State Pension Age. I also get Industrial Injuries Benefit, this was a lifetime disability assessment and I believe the disability assessment was 20%.

A. You should not lose the Reduced Earnings Allowance but instead it will convert to Retirement Allowance (unless you are still in employment and if so you are entitled to still get Reduced Earnings Allowance). Retirement Allowance is paid at a lower rate than REA, this is either 25% of your current REA amount or £18.20, whichever of these two figures is the lower amount.

Your Industrial Injuries Benefit will continue to be paid at the current rate as it isn’t affected by your age and is a lifetime assessment.

Q. My daughter has recently moved in with me and I plan to claim Child Benefit as well as an increase to my current Universal Credit claim but my ex-partner has advised she won’t withdraw the claim she currently has. I am worried that without additional money I won’t be able to support her. What should I do in this situation?

We have previously advised that readers getting the daily living component of PIP will be having an auto-review of their entitlement due to the outcome of a court case and readers in this situation are required to do nothing as the review process will be done by The DWP. We have now been advised of an exception to this. If your current PIP award was decided at an appeal hearing then The DWP cannot review a tribunal decision and thus won’t be part of the auto-review process. The DWP in this situation have advised such clients will be sent a PIP review form to complete to enable the claim to then be reviewed. So if a form arrives from PIP that you did not request and your current award is not up for renewal this will be the likely reason why.