The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is sending advice to more than 660,000 households urging pensioners to check whether they could be eligible for Pension Credit. The benefit is worth more than £4,500 a year on average and provides a vital income boost for low-income pensioners.
Government leaflet campaign
As part of a government campaign, leaflets will be posted through more than 600,000 letterboxes in seven areas across the UK with a high proportion of low-income pensioners. The advice will guide pensioners through how to apply to Pension Credit, and how to support a family member with a claim.
Leaflets will be posted through letterboxes in Glasgow, Powys, Stockton-on-Tees, inland Cornwall, Birmingham, East Suffolk and Manchester. The advice will also bust common myths about eligibility, including that homeowners or pensioners with savings cannot claim.
What is Pension Credit?
According to the DWP, Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with living costs if you're over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges. It is separate from the State Pension.
You might get extra help if you are a carer, severely disabled, or responsible for a child or young person. You can get Pension Credit even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.
Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £238 if you're single and your joint weekly income to £363.25 if you have a partner. You may get extra amounts if you have other responsibilities and costs.
Who is eligible?
You must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age to qualify for Pension Credit. If you have a partner, you'll be eligible if either you and your partner have both reached State Pension age or one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age.
When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together. If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
Income that counts includes State Pension, other pensions, earnings from employment and self-employment, and most social security benefits such as Carer's Allowance. Income that does not count includes Adult Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance, Child Benefit, Christmas Bonus, Council Tax Reduction, Disability Living Allowance, Housing Benefit, Pension Age Disability Payment, Personal Independence Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Allowance, and social fund payments like Winter Fuel Payment.
You might be able to use the Pension Credit calculator to check your eligibility and get an estimate of how much you could get.
Thousands to receive leaflet
Around 1.4m pensioner households are already benefiting from Pension Credit. Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions saw an extra 33,500 applications, following its biggest ever Pension Credit awareness campaign. The department has now launched a new drive to ensure that eligible pensioners don't miss out.
Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: "Far too many pensioners are missing out on support they're entitled to. Pension Credit is worth more than £4,500 a year on average and can make a real difference to people's finances, while also opening the door to help with bills and other everyday costs."
"If you think you might be eligible, it's worth checking. We want to make sure pensioners get the support they're entitled to and don't miss out on money that could help them in retirement," Bell added.
