BG - income tests for pensions - transitional rules ?

[Yael]

Hey BG,

Can you please explain what they mean by transitional rules in the income tests for pensions - specifically carers payment for a child under 16. Trying to work out if we qualify. Also, why does the transitional rules make allowance for how many dependant children are supported on that income, but the regular income test does not?

So confuzzled by this!

Thanks

[briggsy's girl]

there are "old rules" and "current rules" - people who were on payment prior to a certain date (can't remember - some time in 2006) are on old rules and are classified as "transitional" customers. if they stay on payment, and remain better off on the "old rules" they will stay on the old payment. if they come off payment, or the rules of the newer payment benefit them more in some way, they will be moved to the new payment (hope that makes sense! i'm not trained in disability so it's only what i have picked up at work and by having mum on the "new" rules and her sister on the old/transitional rules).

you would need to qualify under the normal assessment, not the transitional rules

with regards to the number of dependents - FTB is the payment that now relates to the number of children, so it's been removed from assessment from most income support payments. there are a couple of exceptions (parenting payment single has a different income test for one child compared to two or more)

hope that answers your questions.