Reach pension perfection with these extra benefits
Lots of pensioners aren’t aware of all the benefits they’re entitled to – see if you could get a bit of a boost.
Could you be getting more from your pension?
It’s more important than ever to have a good pension fund to support you in your golden years, but 5 million people in retirement aren’t happy with their money situation.
If you’re on benefits, or were on benefits before receiving your pension, this situation can be even tougher.
It’s Financial Capability Week this week, and the theme is ‘Talk Money, Talk Pensions’. This might not sound particularly exciting but it’s a great time to find out if you could be getting extra benefits, which sounds pretty exciting to us.
Extra help if you’re ill
If you’re over state pension age and have illnesses or disabilities, the main benefit you’re able to claim is Attendance Allowance.
However, if you were already on PIP (Personal Independence Allowance) or DLA (Disability Living Allowance) before you reached pension age you’ll stay on this instead, subject to DWP reviews.
Pension perfection
The big news here is that if you’re on a private pension or state pension, or will be, you might not realise you could also get housing benefit or council tax support.
You could also be eligible for Pension Credit, which snags you things like free NHS costs such as dental and optical prescriptions. There are a few different parts to pension credit, which tops up your pension to meet a certain income threshold, so it’s worth finding out if you can get some or all of it.
If you get your Pension Credit sorted, you might also be eligible for a free TV licence. The switch to free licences for the over 75s is expected to come in some time in 2020 but it’s only free for over 75s who get Pension Credit.
If you’d like to get your Pension Credit sorted, or find out more about any of these, get in touch with our Financial Inclusion Team.
Remove the speed bumps
If you have poor mobility or disabilities it’s also worth asking your local authority about a blue badge for your car.
This snazzy sticker lets you park in disabled spaces in car parks. These usually mean you’ll be able to get closer to the shops, or have a bit more room if you struggle to get out of the car.
You can use a blue badge in any car you’re travelling in, so even if a family member is driving you to appointments you can use it then too.
How to get help
There are lots of places you can find out more about pension support – including the government website.
If you’re an Onward customer, our Financial Inclusion Team’s here to help.
You can also look at our previous blog about planning your pension on a lower income for more tips if you’re not quite at pension age yet.
Get in touch with our Financial Inclusion Team for more info
