Hello

I am not sure if you can defer your state pension.

Whilst a trustee cannot take funds from state benefits, it can be considered in assessing the income and expenditure. If you have reduced your hours, it may be that your DCO can be reduced.

Hi Paul
Thanks for the quick reply. I didn't think you could delay (defer) state pension now either, but it is still possible. By delaying the amount eventually paid increases by 1% for every 9 weeks, or just under 5.8% per annum.

We just want to ensure whatever decision is made is right within our Sequestration.

Hi tigh.

People can and do defer receiving their state pension in return for an increased pension later.

I think you should openly discuss this with your trustee. The reason for this is that the act of deferring the pension might eventually benefit your partner at the expense of their creditors.

The trustee may not be concerned about this decision if the current level of payment remains affordable for now. However, it might be best just to get everything out in the open so that you don't have a lingering worry about it.

Your trustee cannot force your partner to take the state pension as soon as it is available, nor is your partner doing anything wrong by choosing to defer it. As such, there should be nothing to fear from doing so. The only responsibility you have is to pay whatever you can reasonably afford based upon your income and expenditure during the 4 years from the award of your sequestration, whatever that may be.

Thanks for everyone's help on this.

You're welcome tigh.

Kevin personally acts as a trustee on bankruptcy cases, so I think you can take his comments as being good advice.

I deferred my State Pension but sought advice from my Trustee first who were fine with it. I have now finished my trust deed and receiving state pension.

Thanks for the reassurance SunnyM. How many years did you defer your State Pension?

Hi Tigh,

I deferred for one year because I knew that I had not long to go before Trust Deed was finished. I was very scared about doing this but I have in writing from my Trustee that they were not concerned with this. I wish you luck.