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    Former Premier League star, 63, once worth millions now has £2 in bank account and lives on benefits

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    FORMER Manchester City star Eike Immel is living off benefits in a council flat with just £2 left in his bank account.The German keeper was a millionaire during his successful career with Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart.Ex-Manchester City goalkeeper Eike Immel has been declared bankruptCredit: NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS LTDThe former West Germany star is now living off benefitsCredit: GETTHe won 19 caps for West Germany and was part of their squad at five major finals.Immel, 63, spent two years in the Premier League and old First Division with City, making 50 appearances before hanging up his gloves in 1997.But he was declared bankrupt in 2008 and his wife and kids left him amid a series of financial concerns.Immel now lives off state benefits in a small flat in his home town of Stadtallendorf.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe told Stat 1: “Money wasn’t a concern for me in the past.  I used to live the life of Riley.”Sometimes my mobile phone bill came to 10,000 euros [£9,000] a month.”One Christmas I spent £25,000 on clothes for my new girlfriend.”I paid £1m for my home, but at one point the bailiffs were at my door.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWho are these famous footballers?
    “The tax office said I owed them £800,000, and I was unable to pay it.”I did things that any normal person would say can’t be true.Pep Guardiola launched an astonishing attack on football bosses after Manchester City stumbled into the FA Cup Final-“I hadn’t given enough thought to the future.  Dealing with money is not one of my strengths.”I now live on £972 a month in benefits.  £491 of that goes on rent, leaving me with just £481 for other expenses.”It is a real battle to make ends meet.  Sometimes I just have £2 left.Immel regrets his excess splurges, which have left him relying on the help of loved ones to get by.He said: “The furnishings in the flat have all been given to me, and a friend who runs a local restaurant lets me eat for free.”I am thankful for the help.  But I wish it didn’t have to be this way.” More

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      Football legend Harry Redknapp calls on pensioners to apply for cash boost

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      FOOTBALL legend Harry Redknapp has teamed up with the Department for Work and Pensions in a major push to help pensioners secure a cash boost. The goal is to encourage low-income seniors to apply for Pension Credit before the December 10 deadline for a chance to net an extra £300, adding to the average yearly support of £3,900. 
      Harry Redknapp teams up with DWP to urge pensioners to apply for Pension Credit ahead of deadline day on December 10Credit: DWP
      Speaking from his car window, Redknapp described Pension Credit as a “brilliant signing” and called on pensioners and their loved ones to check out the online calculator to see what they could get. 
      The former Tottenham and West Ham boss became famous for hanging out of his car window to give interviews during his managerial career, particularly on transfer deadline day.
      He said: “It’s always an exciting time of the season – I would just say to anyone, check in with your mum, dad, nan, or grandad.  This could be a brilliant signing.”

      Pensions minister Paul Maynard said: “We want every pensioner to receive all they help they can and with time ticking down to deadline day and the window drawing to a close, now’s the perfect time to check out our Pension Credit calculator and make sure you or your loved ones aren’t missing out on this vital support. In many cases, it’s an open goal to more money in your pocket.”
      Currently, 1.4 million pensioners are reaping the benefits of Pension Credit, but there are sill significant numbers on the sidelines, unaware of what they are missing.
      The DWP estimates there are 850,000 more pensioners eligible for the benefit who aren’t claiming it.
      Applying by December 10, 2023 could secure them the extra cost-of-living payment, with the possibility of backdating for up to three months, provided they were eligible during that time.
      As well as this cash boost, pensioners are set to receive an 8.5 percent increase to their state pension after the Chancellor  confirmed the Government would “honour its commitment” to the triple lock.
      Who is eligible for pension credit?
      Anyone over the state pension age living in England, Scotland or Wales is eligible for pension credit.
      The state pension age is currently 66 for both men and women.
      To qualify, you’ll need to have a weekly income of less than £201.05 for single people or £306.85 for couples.
      Your income is worked out taking into account various elements including:

      Your state pension
      Any other pensions you have saved, for instance, workplace or private pension savings
      Most social security benefits, for example, carer’s allowance
      Any savings or investments worth over £10,000
      Earnings from a job

      The calculation does not include:

      Attendance allowance
      Christmas bonus
      Disability living allowance
      Personal independence payment
      Housing benefit
      Council tax reduction

      If your income is too high to get pension credit, you may still get some savings pension credit, so it’s worth checking.
      It used to be the case that couples, where one person was over state pension age, could claim, but new rules now mean that both people in a couple must be over retirement age to apply.
      This means if you’re single and move in with a partner who is younger than the state pension age, you will stop being eligible.
      But if you’re already receiving pension credit under the old system it won’t stop unless your circumstances change.
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      How much can you get in pension credit?
      There are two parts to the pension credit and pensioners can be eligible for one or both.

      Guarantee credit – tops up your weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level. This is £201.05 a week if you’re single and £306.85 a week for married couples.
      Savings credit – provides extra money if you’ve saved money towards retirement. You can get an extra £15.94 a week for a single person or £17.84 a week for a married couple.

      You may also get additional pension credit if you are disabled, have caring responsibilities or have to pay certain housing costs such as mortgage interest payments.
      How do I apply
      You can apply for pension credit four months before you reach state pension age.
      Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
      You will need:

      National Insurance number
      Information about any income, savings and investments you have
      Information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually 3 months ago or the date you reached state pension age)

      Your partner will also need to provide their information if you have one.
      How will I be paid?
      Your benefits will usually be paid into a bank account around every four weeks.
      You will be asked to provide your bank account details when you claim though concessions are sometimes made for people who don’t have access to a bank account.
      Meanwhile, savers with old pensions could save thousands of pounds in retirement by combining all their pots, new data shows.
      Plus, how losing your job can actually get you an extra £29,300 in your retirement fund.
      You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members. More

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      Ex-Premier League star who went from millions to Universal Credit & bankruptcy wins row over house ownership

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      A FOOTBALL star who went from earning millions to going bankrupt and claiming benefits has won a court battle over a home.Ex-Premier League striker Marcus Bent has fought off bankruptcy trustees who tried for four years to seize a London property.
      Ex-Premier League footballer Marcus Bent has been battling bankruptcy officialsCredit: Simon Jones – The Sun
      They said the former striker – who played for top-flight sides Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Wolves – owned the house and should hand it over to help pay off debts.
      Yet 45-year-old Bent, who went bankrupt in January 2019, insisted it belonged to his 19-year-old daughter.
      He bought it for her in 2006 and meant it to be held in trust for her until she turned 18, he told London’s specialist Insolvency and Companies Court.
      Now judge Clive Jones has ruled in his favour, London’s Evening Standard newspaper reported.
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      He said Bent’s estimated debt following bankrutpcy proceedings brought by tax officials was “a couple of million”.
      But Mr Jones said the house “fell outside the bankruptcy estate” and that trustees administering the estate, had “no interest” in it.
      Former England Under-21 international Bent, watching via videolink, told the judge after hearing the verdict: “We are very happy.”
      His daughter is from a former relationship with ex-fiancee Kelly Clark which ended in 2006, the same year he got together with Hollyoaks actress and future Strictly Come Dancing star Gemma Atkinson.
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      After they too split he later dated model and Celebrity Big Brother contestant Danielle Lloyd.
      Bent earned up to £20,000 a week during his football career but endured a miserable fall from grace after retiring.
      He turned to drugs and alcohol and also found himself with a criminal record after a police raid which saw him Tasered.
      And despite earning an estimated £10m during his playing days, he struggled with his finances – culminating in bankruptcy in 2019.
      He later told of being forced to claim Universal Credit benefits.
      Bent, born in Hammersmith in west London, was banned from the roads for 32 months in March last year after being found four times over the drink-drive limit.
      He pleaded guilty to driving his grey BMW X5 three-litre diesel on the A3 at Tibbet’s Corner in south-west London on February 27 last year.
      Magistrates in Wimbledon rejected his excuse he had only had two glasses of wine the night before, describing his reading as one of the highest they had seen.
      He was recorded at 134 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, whereas the the legal limit is 35.
      Bent’s lawyer Scott Ewing told the court the ex-footballer was “remorseful” while outlining his financial woes.
      Mr Ewing said: “He is not working at the moment, but does some football match commentary and recently was on Universal Credit.
      “He has no income, save for a £20,000 return on an investment, and says he had depression that led to drug and alcohol issues in the past.”
      Mr Ewing also described football as a “comfort blanket” for Bent, who struggled to cope after retiring and “went from having a high-profile, successful career to nothing”.
      The lawyer added: “Unfortunately sycophants and leeches provided unregulated investment advice.
      “He has now hit rock bottom, from where he’s looking up and there’s only one direction to go and that’s to give advice to others so they don’t fall into the same traps.
      “It is a pity it has taken something like this for Mr Bent to get the assistance he needs.”
      Bent had appeared in the same courthouse in 2016, being fined £385 for possessing cocaine at Chessington World of Adventures.
      Earlier that year he received a suspended prison sentence for possessing cocaine and affray, after being Tasered by police arresting him at his home in Esher, Surrey.
      His affray trial heard how he was high on cocaine when he ran at officers while wielding a meat cleaver and a kitchen knife.
      He later insisted: “At no point was I ever going to take someone’s life. I called them because I was hallucinating, paranoid, terrified.”
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      But he revealed it prompted him to go into rehab, including a spell helped by former England and Arsenal captain Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance clinic.
      Bent’s other clubs during a 573-game, 113-goal career included Sheffield United – also now in the Premier League – as well as current Championship sides Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers.
      Bent’s 14 English league clubs included Championship side Birmingham CityCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The former striker was banned for drink-driving by Wimbledon magistrates last yearCredit: Square Mile News More