Pension Credit. Recently it has been estimated that more than 2 in 5 people of pension age are not claiming all the benefits that they are entitled to. It gives people of pension age extra money to help with living costs if they are on a low income. This is paid in addition to your state pension. You can get pension credit if you have other income, savings or own your own home. You can get pension credit alongside other benefits such as attendance allowance (if you are sick or disabled) and you might even get extra money if you are a carer, severely disabled or responsible for a child or young person.
When you apply for pension credit, your income and that of your partner is calculated and taken into consideration. Pension credit ‘tops’ up your income to £177.10 a week if you are single with no disabilities or £270.30 if you are a pension aged couple.
Pension Credit & Disability
If you are disabled or are a qualifying carer you could get pension credit even if your income is higher than this. Disability benefits such as DLA, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payments, Housing Benefits, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit are not taken into consideration – but pensions and earnings and taxable social security benefits such as carers allowance are taken into consideration. Savings over £10,000 or less will not affect pension credit – savings over are counted as £1 for every £500 weekly (eg someone with £13,000 savings – £6 a week would be taken away as income).
If you have a severe disability then you could get an additional £67.30 each week. For carers allowance then you could get an additional £37.70 a week. If you are responsible for any children you could get £54.60 a week. This would be increased to £65.10 a week for the first child if they were born before 6/4/2017. It would increase if the child was disabled.
Additional Support
It can also help with housing costs. This can be by paying ground rent if leasehold, service charges and help towards tents and site rents. You can also claim for housing benefit, council tax reduction and support for mortgage interest if necessary.
If you’ve savings or second pension, you reached state pension age before 6/4/2016 you could get extra from Savings Credit.
If you’re over 75 and get just 1p a week in Pension Credit you can apply for your TVlicence back. You can also get help with cold weather payments and free NHS costs.
What Next?
There is a calculator on the gov site that is well worth doing, here’s the link or give us at Citizens Advice East Devon a call and we can check your eligibility and help you apply. Alternatively, you can call the Pension Service helpline, contact details can be found following this link.
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