What financial support is available to you?
Do you know if you’re entitled to extra Government financial support?
Every year, billions of pounds of benefits, that are allocated to support people of state pension age and on low income with their living costs, go unclaimed.
With continuous increases in the Cost of Living, it’s more important than ever to understand and unlock your financial entitlements – to minimise the chance of finding yourself in a tricky situation when it comes to managing your energy.
Extra Financial Support Available
Customers over State Pension Age (66+) and on a low income could be eligible for Pension Credit, which also unlocks additional benefits, including:
- Winter Fuel Payment.
- Support for Mortgage Interest (if you own the property you live in).
- Housing Benefit (if you rent the property you live in).
- Council Tax discount.
- Free TV licence (if you’re aged 75 or over).
- Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments (if you get a certain type of Pension Credit).
- Warm Home Discount Scheme to help with your heating costs.
- Discount on the Royal Mail redirection service (if you’re moving house).
What is Pension Credit?
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit aimed at people over State Pension Age (66+) and on a low income – offering them a financial solution to top-up their income to help with living and housing costs.
You may also be eligible for extra support if you’re a carer, severely disabled, or responsible for a child or young person.
Pension Credit is made up of two parts:
Guaranteed Credit: Financial support for people who have reached State Pension age and whose income is below a certain amount.
Savings Credit: This is an extra amount for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and who had saved or opened a second pension for their retirement which brings their income above a Parliament-set level.
Am I eligible for Pension Credit?
To determine if you meet the qualifying criteria for Pension Credit, visit the Government’s Pension Credit webpage and read more on eligibility.
If you believe you meet qualifying criteria to receive Pension Credit, you can use the online Pension Credit calculator to check if you’re eligible and find out how much you could receive before applying.
You’ll need to answer some questions about your circumstances to find out if you can use the calculator.
How can I apply for Pension Credit?
Unfortunately, Pension Credit is not paid automatically, so you’ll need to apply. You can do this online, by telephone, or by post and claims can be backdated by up to 3-months upon successful application.
If you think you’re eligible for Pension Credit, here’s some ways that you can apply:
Online Application:
You can apply online for Pension Credit via the Governments website. You will need certain information to make an online application about yourself and your partner (if applicable), including:
- National Insurance number.
- Details of income and pensions.
- Details of money, savings and investments (usually for the last three months).
By Phone:
You can contact the Pension Service by telephone to get more information about Pension Credit at 0800 731 0469 or by textphone at 0800 731 0464 between 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
By Post:
You can also write to the Pension Service regarding Pension Credit at the following address:
The Pension Service
Post Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1AF
Can’t find what you’re looking for or need further assistance with an issue? Head over to our Help Centre for more information.