A rule change means some people over State Pension age will not be eligible for the means-tested benefit
The Department for Work and Pensions hopes ‘Pension Credit Week of Action’, an awareness campaign which runs until Friday, June 16, will encourage more older people to claim the ‘gateway’ benefit worth more than £3,500 each year. DWP estimates 850,000 pensioners are potentially eligible for the income boost, but not claiming.
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. He continued: “It was clear in contributions made by Members from across the House that there was a great deal of feeling about and interest in this matter.”
For those without access to the internet, or not confident using an online calculator, you can also check if you should claim by calling the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 - lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Who should check for Pension Credit? If you are over 65 and reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, you could still qualify for Pension Credit if your weekly income is less than:If you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:
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