Published
Karen Wilkins
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a ‘day of action’ next month which will focus on encouraging people of State Pension age to check eligibility for a benefit worth more than £3,000 each year in financial support and additional discounts. This will take place on Wednesday, June 15 and aims to get more older people applying for support to help them manage the rising cost of living. Even if you have savings or own your home you could still be eligible.
Pension Credit gives people extra money to help with living costs if they are over State Pension age and on a low income and the latest figures released by the UK Government show that up to 850,000 families who were entitled to receive Pension Credit did not claim the benefit in the financial year 2019 to 2020.
If you get Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:
- Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
- Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
- A Council Tax discount
- A free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
- Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
- Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
- A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house
In May 2019, the law changed so that a ‘mixed age couple’ - a couple where one partner is of State Pension age and the other is under it - are considered to be a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested benefits. This means they cannot claim Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit until they are both State Pension age. Before this DWP change, a mixed age couple could be eligible to claim the more generous State Pension age benefits when just one of them reached State Pension age.
One of the quickest ways to find out if you are eligible, and how much extra you could potentially be paid every week, is to use the Pension Credit calculator on the GOV.UK website. To use the calculator, you will need details of:
- earnings, benefits and pensions,
- savings and investments ,
- the same details for your partner if you have one.
You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner are deferring your State Pension or own more than one property, are self-employed or have housing costs (such as service charges) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit.
You can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age and can claim any time after you reach State Pension age, but your claim can only be backdated for three months.
To make the claim you will need:
- your National Insurance number,
- information about your income, savings and investments,
- your bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by post.
Citizens Advice Portsmouth encourages eligible people to use the calculator and claim the benefits you are entitled to.
