A PENSIONER who cares for his disabled wife says he has lost thousands of pounds in payments.

As he was still working at 65, Joseph Bentley, of Knole Road, Bournemouth, chose to defer his pension for two years and enjoy a lump sum to help with care costs.

Joseph, now 67, who looks after 56-year-old Margaret, says he has been told that he cannot collect his pension of £143 a week for that time as he has been receiving £50 a week carer’s allowance.

Joseph, a retired driver, said: “They didn’t explain to me that if I had the carer’s allowance, for every £50 they gave me each week I would lose my full pension each week.

“Where is the logic in that and where’s the honesty in that? I’ve been on to them and argued with them and tried to point it out and quite honestly they say they agree with me, but it’s the law. If it’s the law then it’s an ass. I wonder how many other pensioners have been kicked the same way.”

The grandfather said he had offered to receive the pension minus the £50 allowance but was told that was not possible.

He added: “Why, as a British citizen who has paid tax my entire life, should I lose £143 per week for £50 in its place?”

Joseph said he did not believe he was receiving anything he was not entitled to.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “The Pensions Service staff work really hard to ensure that pensioners receive their full benefit entitlement.

“We do need people to provide us with full information about their circumstances, including details about whether they’re working and receiving other benefits, so that we can provide the right advice.”