Northern Ireland Minister Encourages People Not to Miss Out On Claiming Pension Credit

PENSION CREDIT - Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín is encouraging people to make sure they don’t miss out on claiming Pension Credit they may be entitled to.

Pension Credit is an income-related benefit and means that people need not live on less than £173.75 per week (for single people) or £265.20 per week (for couples). You could be eligible even if you have a pension, savings or own your own home.  In addition, you might get more if you’re a Carer, severely disabled, responsible for a child or young person, or have certain housing costs.  You don’t pay tax on Pension Credit.

If someone has reached State Pension age before the 6 April 2016, they may be also entitled to extra money if they have made some provision towards their retirement such as savings or a private pension. This is called Savings Credit and could be up to £13.97 per week (for a single person) or £15.62 per week (for a couple).

Encouraging people to check to see if they are eligible to claim, Minister Ní Chuilín said “It only takes a few minutes to see if you are missing out on extra money. I would encourage people to go online or call the Pension Centre on 0800 587 0892 to make sure they are not missing out on everything they are entitled to. This is especially important during these challenging times when many people are experiencing financial difficulties and any additional income they are entitled to should therefore be claimed.”

The Minister added:  “It is important to dispel some myths people might hold. Having savings, a pension or owning a home are not necessarily barriers to receiving pension credit and even a small award of pension credit can provide access to other costs such as housing costs, dental & optical treatment.”

If you are over State Pension Age it only takes a few minutes to make sure you are getting all you are entitled to. You can check by calling the Pension Centre line on 0800 587 0892 or by visiting www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/state-pension/pension-credit. There’s also an online calculator to check if you’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what you may receive.

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