I've been with the Pensions Minister Laura Trott MP making the case for Pension Credit.
Checking eligibility and applying for Pension Credit by 18 December 2022 – just ten days away – will mean pensioners could also receive a £324 boost thanks to Pension Credit backdating rules.
The average Pension Credit award is worth over £3,500 a year and even a small Pension Credit award can provide access to a wide range of other benefits – such as help with housing costs, council tax or heating bills – in addition to the extra cost of living payments.
Claims can be made online and over the phone, with the Pension Credit calculator on hand to help pensioners see if they’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive.
Pension Credit tops up a person’s income to a minimum of £182.60 per week for single pensioners and to £278.70 for couples.
Currently, around 1.4 million pensioners in Britain receive Pension Credit. However, many are still not claiming this extra financial help.
Applications for Pension Credit can be made in the three following ways:
1) On the How to Claim page: Pension Credit: How to claim - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
2) Over the phone by calling 0800 99 1234 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm)
3) By printing out and filling in a paper application form: Pension Credit claim form - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
