Hundreds of thousands of struggling pensioners are being urged to check if they’re eligible for an extra retirement top-up.
Latest figures from the Government suggest 850,000 people are missing out on claiming Pension Credit.
Pension Credit is a benefit that tops up the income of retirees so they have a decent standard of living.
It is also known as a “gateway” benefit as it unlocks additional financial support for council tax, housing benefit, health costs and a free TV Licence for the over 75s.
In April, the DWP said up to £1.7billion of available Pension Credit went unclaimed, reports the Daily Record.
The average weekly amount of pension credit is £65 – or more than £3,300 a year – according to Government figures.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a “day of action” this month which will focus on encouraging people to check their Pension Credit eligibility.
“Pension Credit Day of Action” will take place on Wednesday, June 15 - but before then, check below to see if you qualify for the benefit.
What is Pension Credit?
Pension Credit gives you extra money to top up your retirement income and is separate to your state pension.
It comes in two parts and you may be eligible for one or both elements, depending on your circumstances.
The Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to:
- £182.60 if you’re single
- £278.70 if you have a partner
If you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, you may be eligible for the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit.
You could get up to:
- £14.48 if you're single
- £16.20 if you're a couple
You may get extra money if you have other responsibilities and costs, such as if you have high rent, if you have a disability or you care for someone.
For example, you could get an extra £69.40 a week if you claim certain disability benefits or an extra £38.85 a week if you receive Carer's Allowance.
If you’re responsible for children or young people, you could get an extra £56.35 a week for each person in your care.
This is increased to £66.85 a week for the first child if they were born before April 6, 2017.
If the child or young person is disabled, you could also get an extra amount of £30.58 to £95.48 a week if they get certain benefits.
You can view all the additional top-ups and their rates on the Gov.uk website.
Other help if you get Pension Credit
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
How to make a claim
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.
You can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age.
You can claim any time after you reach state pension age but your claim can only be backdated for three months.
This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.
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
If you’re backdating your claim, you’ll need details of your income, savings and investments on the date you want your claim to start.
