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PC and solar panel income?
I have a client on GPC at the moment who is thinking of having solar panels fitted
She has been told that extra electricity generated will be split between paying for the cost of having the panels fitted and paid to client.
So : The pension service have classed this as income and have suggested the whole lot may be classed as income, not just whats left once shes repaid toward the panels.
At some point the panels will be paid for, and if she gets more money at that point then it may wipe out GPC
so : Gross or net figure counts??
Thoughts?
A slightly random thought- could this be counted as self -employment income?
Presumably the person has a contract with the electricity company setting out the terms under which they will buy the electricity she generates and if it is a contract between her personally and the electricity company it has the nature of self employment. If this is construed as a business then only the profit counts ( less certain disregards see Ch.15 of the handbook)
I think this is going to be an important issue in the years ahead, dozens of houses in the small village I live in have these panels and I understand that most of the owners make profit from them.
I might suggest (with my tongue only slightly in cheek) that HM Gov has finally found a way to make benefit claimants pay for sunshine!