A money-savvy woman has shared her story of securing Government benefits for her parent – adding almost £8,000 a year to their finances. ‘Adele’ credited her success to the help of Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) and emailed the financial gurus to explain what steps she took to get there.
This started with claiming Attendance Allowance (AA) for her dad – a benefit that helps people with severe disabilities who need to cover extra costs and require help being looked after. That added £72 a week to her dad’s income, but Adele was also keen to claim Pension Credit for further support.
“Now he has AA, he’s also eligible for a further £35/wk Pension Credit, and his Housing Benefit has been increased by £40/wk,” she said. “So a total extra £150/wk – a huge help, and he will still be eligible for Winter Fuel Allowance, so will receive annually almost £8,000 extra. It will change his life and I’m really grateful to you.”
While 2.2million people are thought to be eligible for Pension Credit,MSE estimates that 880,000 don’t apply. As a result, many vulnerable people could be missing out on an average of £75 per week, or £3,900 per year.
However, the true amount you receive depends on the type of Pension Credit you’re eligible for. The benefit comes in two parts, with the first of these being Guarantee Credit – described by AgeUK as a top-up of weekly income to a ‘guaranteed minimum level’.
If you’re a couple you may be eligible for £332.95, while singletons may be due £218.15. Meanwhile, Savings Credit is ‘extra money if you’ve got some savings or if your income is higher than the basic State Pension’.
This is available to those who reached the State Pension age before April 6, 2016. Eligible couples may receive £19.04 extra per week, and singletons £17.01.
If you manage to get Pension Credit, a few other support options may also be available to you. This includes the Housing Benefit which may help you pay rent if you’re unemployed, on low income or claiming benefits.
