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Going Solo Advice to Help You Adjust to Living on Your Own Going solo Advice to help you adjust to living on your own Health & wellbeing AgeUKIG04 Contents Age UK is the new force combining Introduction 2 Age Concern and Help the Aged. Separating from your partner 3 With almost 120 years of combined What to do after someone dies 3 Reviewing your financial position 4 history to draw on, we are bringing What are you entitled to? 5 together our talents, services and Help from charities or benevolent funds 6 solutions to do more to enrich Living arrangements 6 the lives of people in later life. Running a household 9 Healthy eating 12 Getting help at home 14 Emotional support 15 Social life 16 Useful organisations 20 This information leaflet has been prepared by Age UK and contains general advice only, which we hope will be useful. Nothing in this leaflet should be construed as specific advice and it should not be relied on as a basis for any decision or action. Age UK does not accept any liability arising from its use. We aim to ensure that the information is as up to date and accurate as possible, but please be warned that certain areas are subject to change from time to time. Date of publication: April 2010 © Age UK 2010 1 Going solo Introduction Separating from With a little help, living on our own is a situation your partner most of us can adapt to. If you have recently separated from your partner, you may This guide aims to help you get the most out of living by need legal advice on reaching an agreement about your yourself. It deals with financial concerns and helps you to property, finances and living arrangements. This could organise your own affairs. Alongside the practical advice, apply even if you were not married or in a civil partnership. the guide also covers issues such as health and emotions. Mediation can help you and your partner to reach an And it will reassure you that being self-reliant does not agreement without the need for a court hearing. It is mean you are on your own. possible to use a mediator without involving a solicitor, You will also find suggestions for organisations that can but it is strongly recommended that you use a solicitor give further information and advice: for contact details to advise you and to finalise the agreement you reach. see ‘Useful organisations’ (pages 20–30). Contact details Resolution is an association of specialist family solicitors for organisations near you can usually be found in your what who can help you find an appropriate solicitor in your local phone book, and your local Age UK/Age Concern* next? area (see page 30). In Northern Ireland, contact Family should be able to help (see page 20). i Mediation (see page 25). In addition, Age UK may be able The information given in this guide applies to England, to help you decide on the best course of action (see page 20). Wales and Northern Ireland. Different arrangements apply in Scotland. Readers in those countries are advised to contact their national organisation for further What to do after information (see the ‘Useful organisations’ section).. someone dies Key This guide does not go into detail about what to do after This symbol indicates where information someone has died, but you can find more information differs for Wales and Northern Ireland. i in our free guides What to do when someone dies and what This symbol indicates who to contact Bereavement. next? for the next steps you need to take. For more information, see the Department for Work and Pensions booklet DWP1027 What to do after what next? a death in England and Wales (see page 24). *Many Age Concerns are changing their name to Age UK 2 Going solo 3 Going solo Reviewing your What are you entitled to? financial position Pensions If you only get a small State Pension and have been There are some things you can do at an early stage widowed you may be able to use your late spouse’s or to organise your money. civil partner’s National Insurance (NI) contribution record • Sort out your household bills and make sure they are in to increase your pension. In some cases divorced people your name. Do not pay bills you are not liable for, such as can do the same, though these rights do not apply if you someone else’s credit card (unless this is in joint names). were neither married nor in a civil partnership. Contact the Pension Service to find out more (see page 28). • If your partner has died, check whether there are any insurance policies that pay out after a death. You may also be able to inherit some of your late spouse’s or civil partner’s occupational pension, if they had one. • List your outgoings and work out a realistic budget, If you were neither married nor in a civil partnership, including money for social outings and so on. there is a chance you may still be entitled to something. Contact his or her pension provider to find out more. • Write down everything you spend for a few weeks to give yourself an idea of your actual living costs. Benefits • Look for ways you can make savings: for example, i If you are living alone, you should be able to get 25 per cent switching energy or telephone suppliers. You can find off your Council Tax bill. (In Northern Ireland, this charge contact details and price comparison factsheets for is known as rates, and the 25 per cent off is called the energy companies on the Consumer Focus website, or Lone Pensioner Allowance.) You may also be entitled to call Consumer Direct for more information (see page 23). means-tested benefits if your income and savings are i In Northern Ireland, contact Consumerline for advice below certain levels. These benefits include Pension Credit, (see page 23). Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit (or Rate Relief in Northern Ireland). If you qualify for these, you may also • If you are finding it difficult to manage and are getting get other help – for example, with health costs. into debt, think about getting help from a specialist adviser (see National Debtline, page 28). For more information about benefits or pensions, use our what online benefits checker and order our free information Our information guides What can you claim? and next? what guides What can you claim? and Questions on pensions. next? Thinking about money contain further advice. You can get a free benefit check from your local Age UK/ Age Concern (see page 20). 4 Going solo 5 Going solo • Want to stay in your home? In most cases you have Help from charities some rights to keep your home, even if it is in your partner’s or benevolent funds name. You may be able to stay temporarily or permanently, or have it transferred to your name. If you have claimed everything you are entitled to and are still finding it difficult to manage, you could try asking • Worried about paying for your home? Remember that for help from charities. You might be able to get a lump the change in your circumstances may entitle you to sum or regular weekly payments. benefits that could help with housing costs and day-to-day maintenance. If you think you will have trouble meeting Benevolent funds help people in particular circumstances. your mortgage payments, tell your mortgage company Some, for example, are based on your occupation (or former straight away. You may be able to negotiate a reduced occupation) or that of your former partner. Others are based mortgage payment. on particular health problems or disabilities, or may help if you are a member of a trade union or have a particular You may also be able to get financial help with repairs, religious belief. improvements and adaptations to your home from your local council. Age UK’s Handyperson and HandyVan schemes Contact a local advice agency for help in approaching what may also be able to help. To find out if the service operates next? charities. See A guide to grants for individuals in need in your area, call 01255 473 999. at a local library or contact the Association of Charity Contact Age UK (see page 20), Citizens Advice Bureau Officers (see page 21). what next? (see page 22) or Housing Advice NI in Northern Ireland (see page 27) for information about benefits, grants Living arrangements entitlement and your legal rights. Also see our information guides Help with care in your own home and Housing options You may be worried about staying in your present home, and our factsheet Funding repairs, improvements and either because you are not sure what your legal rights are adaptations. Age UK may be able to advise you on or because you think it is going to be difficult to manage any legal issues regarding your home (see page 20). on your own. • Thinking about moving home? This is a big step – one that can be emotionally and physically demanding. If you prefer to stay in your present home, you may be able to do so by solving any legal, financial or practical problems. 6 Going solo 7 Going solo Running a household Getting used to life on your own can be as challenging ‘ My Harry was a fireman before practically as it is emotionally. The steps suggested he retired. After he died I was below could help you get organised. • Make a list of everything that needs doing. put in touch with the Fire Service From paying bills to grocery shopping, list everything National Benevolent Fund.
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