Older people on Attendance Allowance, PIP, DLA or ADP may be due an extra £326 each month
Online guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on GOV.UK explains that if someone of State Pension age on a low income receives Attendance Allowance or the middle or highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Adult Disability Payment (ADP), they may be entitled to extra Pension Credit of £81.50 per week, some £326 every four-week pay period.
Similarly, a couple claiming Pension Credit where one person is claiming a disability benefit, will also receive an extra £81.50 each week (£326 per month) and if someone is paid Carer’s Allowance they may be entitled to extra weekly Pension Credit of £45.60. DWP confirmed last month that these payments will rise by 4.1 per cent in April as part of the annual benefits uprating exercise.
READ MORE: People over State Pension age with long-term health issues could get an extra £5,644 next year
READ MORE: New calls to increase weekly State Pension payments to £549 for every person aged over 60
Older people may also get this extra Pension Credit if they are entitled to Carer’s Allowance but are not being paid it, or being paid it at a lower amount than normal, because they are being paid a higher amount by another, income-related benefit such as the State Pension - more commonly referred to as an 'underlying entitlement'.
Nearly 1.4 million older people across Great Britain, including more than 125,000 living in Scotland, are currently receiving Pension Credit, which the DWP recently confirmed could provide an average of £4,200 in support during the year ahead. However, the latest figures from the DWP suggest there are still 7600,000 eligible pensioners not claiming the benefit they are entitled to.
It's more important than ever to make a claim before December 21, 2024 as the new rule change to Winter Fuel Payments means that only those on an income-related benefit such as Pension Credit will be eligible for the annual heating bill help, worth between £100 and £300.
New claims submitted to the DWP by the deadline on Saturday, December 21 - which later turns out to be successful - will also qualify for a backdated Winter Fuel Payment. An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock additional financial support.
Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for the means-tested benefit, which can also provide access to help with housing costs, heating bills and Council Tax.
Pension Credit tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level of £218.15 a week for single pensioners or £332.95 for couples. It is a tax-free payment for those who:
have reached Pension Credit qualifying age, which is State Pension age, and
live in Great Britain
Quickest way to check eligibility for Pension Credit
Older people, or friends and family, can quickly check their eligibility and get an estimate of what they may receive by using the online Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here.
Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 - lines are currently open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Over the festive fortnight DWP offices and phone lines will be closed on December 25, 26, 27 and January 1.
Expert help and advice is also available from:
Below is an overview of the benefit including who should check eligibility, how to go about it and how much you could get.
Pension Credit in a nutshell
Pension Credit gives people extra money to help with their living costs if they are over State Pension age and on a low income. It can also provide access to a range of other benefits.
The benefit tops up income to a minimum of £218.15 per week for single pensioners and £332.95 for couples - more if a person has a disability or caring responsibilities.
Other help if you get Pension Credit
If you qualify for 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
Council Tax discount
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 and Winter Fuel Payment
A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house
Mixed aged older couples and Pension Credit
In May 2019, the law changed so 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.
How to use the Pension Credit calculator
To use the calculator on GOV.UK, you will need details of:
earnings, benefits and pensions
savings and investments
You’ll need the same details for your partner if you have one. You will be presented by a series of questions with multiple choice answer options.
This includes:
Your date of birth
Your residential status
Where in the UK you live
Whether you are registered blind
Which benefits you currently receive
How much you receive each week for any benefits you get
Whether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after you
How much you get each week from pensions - State Pension, private and work pensions
Any employment earnings
Any savings, investments or bonds you have
Once you have answered these questions, a summary screen shows your responses, allowing you to go back and change any answers before submitting. The Pension Credit calculator then displays how much benefit you could receive each week.
All you have to do then is follow the link to the application page to find out exactly what you will get from the DWP, including access to other financial support.
There’s also an option to print off the answers you give using the calculator tool to help you complete the application form quicker without having to look out the same details again. Try the Pension Credit Calculator for yourself or your family member to make sure you’re receiving all the financial support you are entitled to claim.
Who cannot use the Pension Credit calculator?
You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner:
are deferring your State Pension
own more than one property
are self employed
have housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit
How to make a claim
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.
Apply online
You can use the online service if:
you have already claimed your State Pension
there are no children or young people included in your claim
To check your entitlement, phone the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator here to find out how much you could get.
