STRAIGHT TO THE POINT
I HAVE dementia and my wife looks after me. When she applied for a carer’s allowance she was told she would have to give up her state pension. Is that right?
W. P, Penicuik, Scotland.
YOU cannot receive the carer’s allowance and state pension in full at the same time. They are classed as ‘overlapping benefits’.
If your pension is less than £62.70 per week — the allowance given to people who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for an ill or disabled person — you can make up the difference in carer’s allowance. But if your state pension is higher, you won’t be eligible. For some people on low incomes, carer’s allowance is a gateway to income such as carer premium/addition. Contact Carers UK on 0808 808 7777 for more information.
WHEN I took out a British Gas HomeCare policy in October, I was told I’d get a £10
gift card, but nothing has arrived. Calls to British Gas are getting me nowhere.
P. S., Leeds.
BrITISh Gas has agreed to pay the £10 in cash as it no longer offers gift cards. It apologises and has offered you an additional £50 as a goodwill gesture.
I SWITCHED from Scottish Power after moving house in April 2016. In October 2017 I received a bill of £175.55 for April to November 2016. I’ve tried to contact them several times to ask why I owe this money, but I can’t get a response.
S.E., Nottingham
SCOTTISh Power has apologised for the problems you’ve experienced. Under industry rules energy firms are not allowed to back-bill customers for power used more than a year ago if they were at fault. Scottish Power has wiped the debt and arranged a £50 goodwill payment.
I READ that it is sensible to check your credit report with each of the UK’s main credit reference agencies — Experian, Equifax and Callcredit. I can’t seem to find a telephone number for Equifax.
J.N., Brighton
EQUIFAX’S number — 0800 014 2955 — is not easy to track down.
The firm says its phone number can be found in its member centre or any emails it has sent to you. But this isn’t much use if you’re not a customer. I’ve suggested to equifax that it makes its contact details easier to find online.