Pension Credit – Are YOU missing out on it?

• Are you over State Pension age and on a low income?
• As a single person, do you have less than £218.15 per week coming in to live on…or, as a couple do you have a joint weekly income below £332.95?

If your answer to both those questions is ‘Yes’, but you are currently not receiving Pension Credit, then you could be missing out on a key state benefit that you may well be fully entitled to.

[Note – Full details and the rules around Pension Credit may be found on Gov.uk; Citizens Advice and several other public websites. The following describes only the key points about this benefit.]

Pension Credit is separate from your State Pension. You can get Pension Credit even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.

Pension Credit is extra money from the State, to help with your living costs. It can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.  In addition, you may get more help if you care for someone, or you are disabled, or responsible for a child or young person.

To be eligible, you must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age to qualify for Pension Credit.

When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together.

Your income includes mainly, only the following:

• State Pension
• other pensions
• earnings from employment and self-employment
• most social security benefits, for example Carer’s Allowance

[Note – a range of other benefits are not usually included as income.]

Regarding your savings and investments,…

If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit.

[If you have more than £10,000, then pro-rated deductions are calculated to allow for savings interest and so reduce the amount of Pension Credit you might receive.]

If you are eligible, how much might you receive?

Pension Credit amounts depend on an individual’s (or a couple’s joint) circumstances and are calculated for you by DWP. The amounts can range from just a few, to several tens of extra pounds per week.

Also, you may get top-up or extra amounts if you have other responsibilities and costs, or if you already receive certain other benefits or allowances. The top up and extra amounts are known as ‘Guarantee Credit’. Guarantee Credit amounts themselves may be tens of extra pounds per week on top of basic amounts.

[Full details of basic Pension Credit amounts and top-up and extra amounts, can be found on Gov.uk; Citizens Advice and several other public websites.]

If you have housing costs:

You could get an extra amount to cover your housing costs, such as:

• ground rent if your property is a leasehold
• some service charges
• charges for tents and site rents

The amount you could get depends on your housing costs.

If you are able to get Pension Credit, this could be a ‘gateway’ to other support you may be eligible for:

• Council Tax Reduction
• Housing Benefitif you rent the property you live in
• Support for Mortgage Interestif you own the property you live in
• Winter Fuel Payment

Other help if you get Pension Credit:

If you get Pension Credit you’ll automatically get cold weather payments.

You’ll also be eligible to:

• apply for a free TV licenceif you’re aged 75 or over
• get help with NHS costsif you get the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit

NHS costs can include things such as prescriptions, dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments.

Find out how much you could get:

Use the Pension Credit calculator to work out how much you might get.

Contact the Pension Service helpline if you’re not sure whether you’re eligible for extra amounts.

Pension Service helpline
Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Textphone: 0800 169 0133
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays)

Citizens Advice Benefit information may be found here: Pension Credit – Citizens Advice