A PENSIONER has been forced to return to work after being left with only £6 a month to survive on.

Rob Trewhella said there was a time he could buy a “nice pair of Levis” but now gets his threads from supermarkets.

Rob said he's worried he won't be able to find an affordable home to live in

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Rob said he’s worried he won’t be able to find an affordable home to live inCredit: Mirrorpix

The 67-year-old from Penzance, Cornwall, said living on his state pension is not survivable alone due to the cost of a roof over his head and energy bills.

He explained that his state pension tops-out at £814 per month, but pays a private rental cost of £675, council tax of £104 and electricity of around £40.

He said: “It’s just a tiny flat with electric storage heaters so if I don’t turn the heating on and keep it down to £30 a month, I’m left with £6.”

He went on to say that nowadays he has to be frugal, has to cook in batches to avoid too much use of his oven and even keeps his lights off.

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He said: “If I feel cold I’ll not put the heating on, I’ve got a smart metre here and I watch it ticking over. When you put a microwave on the light turns red and it just piles on, I put an extra layer on when I’m a bit chilly.”

The “terrified” Brit went on to say that there was a time he could buy a “nice pair of Levis”, but now has to buy all of his clothes from supermarkets or cheap online retailers, reports the Mirror.

And, due to wanting to keep the costs down he admits to bargain shopping and relying on a decade-old coat to keep warm at night.

While approaching his golden years the former tree surgeon and butcher has now had to rejoin the workforce and drive a taxi for 25 hours a week – earning £250 to keep the lights on in his home.

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The money-worries are made even worse for Rob as his pension will now be taxed once going-over the yearly personal allowance of £12,571.

Pensioners pay no tax on their pension pots, but if they earn over the personal allowance then it’s taxed at 20 percent and treated like any other income. 

Rob thinks pensions should be secured, saying that it should be “totally protected” because Brits spend their whole life paying the fee on top of national insurance costs.

He explained: “Now I’m at a point where I’m having to work to enhance my state pension and I’ve been bl**dy taxed, the state pension should be totally protected, that should be the money you paid in all your working life.”

The worried cabby said he’s “terrified” that the cost-of-living could force him to buy a tent and live in it.

He’s now having to check the housing association register but noticed over 100 people had bidded on a property that was suitable and fears he won’t be able to get out of the private rent sector.

Rob said he had hoped to be able to enjoy his senior years waking up late, spending time going on walks and tucking into a pasty where lives.

Pensions are due to see substantial new steps this year after it was reported that a selection of moves will soon come into play – affecting millions of Brits up and down the country.

The six major changes will see a state pension increase of upto £901, after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed in his Autumn Statement that pensions will rise by 8.5% – kicking in from April, 2024.

Pension credit – a tax-free benefit designed to help with living costs if you are over the state pension age and on a low income – will rise by 8.5%, like the state pension.

This means payments will increase from £201.05 to £218.15 for single households.

As well as that, The lifetime allowance (LTA) on pension savings is being scrapped from April in to keep people in work.

The Chancellor announced plans to consult on a “pot for life” scheme in November’s Autumn Statement which will give savers the right to choose the pension scheme into which they are automatically enrolled.

Auto enrolment changes will also come into play, which could see millions of Brits better off when they hit their retirement age as the proposed changes to the rules would lower the age at which people are automatically placed in a workplace pension to 18.

It will also axe the lower earner’s limit (LEL) and see a worker on any amount of income be able to save.

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A DWP spokesperson said: “We remain committed to supporting pensioners, which is why we made the biggest State Pension increase in history last year and are delivering a further increase of 8.5% in April.

“We are also curbing inflation to help everyone’s money go further, boosting Pension Credit – worth £3,900 for pensioners on the lowest incomes – and have made more than 11.9 million Pension Cost of Living payments to help with essential costs this winter.”

STATE PENSIONS: How do they currently work?

At the moment the current state pension is paid to both men and women from age 66 – but it’s due to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046.

The State Pension is a recurring payment from the government most Brits start getting when they reach State Pension age which is currently 66. 

But not everyone gets the same amount and the amount you are awarded depends on your National Insurance record.

For most pensioners it’s only part of their retirement income, as they could have other pots from a workplace pension, earning and savings. 

The new State Pension is based on people’s National Insurance records and workers with no National Insurance record before April of 2016 will be required to have 35 qualifying years to get the total amount of the new State Pension when they reach their golden years.

But most people will have made – or been credited with –  National Insurance contributions before 6 April 2016. 

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk

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