My client is 62, single and in receipt of PCGC at £119.05. Prior to reaching age 60 he was receiving NI credits for incapacity and Income Support, but no Incapacity Benefit. He satisfied a PCA shortly before his 60th birthday and he has just received another IB50 questionnaire.

Plainly my client's weekly benefit and NI credit entitlements will not be affected by the outcome of the PCA and that being the case he is tempted to withdraw from the assessment. I've tried to check what 'fringe benefits' his incapability for work status confers on him but the two which sprung to mind, ie entitlement to a £20 earnings disregard if he started permitted work or entitlement to the Disability Element of WTC if he started full-time work, don't seem to apply. In any event, my client is very unlikely to be well enough to do any sort of work again. In the absence of IB, I can't see that any advantage would accrue from retaining incapability for work status in the event of my client becoming one of a couple.

Is there a definitive list of the advantages conferred by incapability for work status on PC claimants who do not also receive IB?

It often seems to me that being free of the pressure of the PCA regime for many men over 60 is a very big benefit, if they can in fact qualify for PC. It means he doesn't have to worry about the possibility of work, work-focussed interviews, maybe failing a PCA and having to appeal or face applying for jobseekers. If there is little prospect of him ever working again I believe these would outweigh any advantages I have been able to identify. So what have I missed?

The only advantage I have been able to identify in these cases is that if client comes into a large amount of capital or some income that would not affect IB then they would be better off having the IB because it would continue where PC would stop. For someone w/o something like the expectation of a small occupational pension it's pretty much "If you win the lottery before reaching 65 ..." as far as I can see.