3 days Ago By [email protected] (Linda Howard)
Successful claims made before December 21 will also qualify for a backdated Winter Fuel Payment of up to £300. Older people making a new claim for Pension Credit online need to be aware of several pieces of information they will need to have to hand before starting the application process. People cannot save their application and come back to it later because if no details are entered for more than 30 minutes, the application will time out and they will need to start all over again.
Guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) warns that the time out is to “keep your details secure”. A new nationwide Pension Credit awareness campaign during the qualifying week of September 16-22 aims to increase take-up of the income-related benefit - a successful claim made before December 21, 2024 will also provide access to a backdated Winter Fuel Payment. Around 10 million people over State Pension age, including 850,000 in Scotland, will not be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment this year due to the new rule change.
Only those in receipt of a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit will qualify for the annual heating help, worth between £100 and £300. This means that it is more important than ever for pensioners - and friends and family members - to make sure they are not missing out. The DWP estimates that 880,000 pensioner households may be entitled to an average annual income boost of £3,900, but do not claim it as they wrongly believe that because they have savings or own their own home they would not be eligible for Pension Credit.
An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support. If you are planning to submit an application online (new claims only), you will need certain information about yourself and your partner (if you live with one) while you make your application. You will need (for you and your partner, if you live with one): Backdating a claim is simple, all you have to do is select either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when asked if you want to do so - the system calculates the date.
Below is an overview of the benefit, including who should check eligibility, how to go about it, how much you could get and where to get help filling in the form. There are two types of Pension Credit - Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit , you must be State Pension age (66).
Your weekly income will need to be less than the minimum amount the UK Government says you need to live on. This is £218.15 for a single person and £332.
95 for a couple - this amount could be higher if you're disabled, a carer or have certain housing costs - find out more here. You can only get Savings Credit if: Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to: You might be able to get more than this if you're disabled or a carer, or you have certain housing costs. Savings Credit can give you up to: The exact amount you’ll get depends on your income and savings.
Your income includes assumed income from savings and capital over £10,000. 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 open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Expert help and advice is also available from: More details about claiming Pension Credit can be fond on GOV.UK here.
If you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as: 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.
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: 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. 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 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.
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. Join the conversation on our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group for money-saving tips, the latest benefits news, energy bill advice and cost of living updates.
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