‘A greater income to spend on household repairs’ – The real life benefits of pension credit uptake

As part of the drive to keep everyone warm and well this winter, the council has been encouraging residents to check their eligibility for pension credits, with over 3000 Stockport residents missing out on up to £1,900 per year in unclaimed benefits.

As a reminder, you can claim pension credits if you are of state pension age or over, and your weekly income is up to £182.60 if you are single, or your joint weekly income is up to £278.70 if you have a partner. If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.

An Age UK Stockport worker from the home support service helped one female resident in the Offerton area to claim the additional pension credit benefit she was owed. After a referral from Stockport Council’s adult social care team, The worker was asked to assist with the decluttering of a property, and also to help support the resident with a burst pipe which had brought down a section of the kitchen ceiling.

The worker conducted a financial assessment to ascertain whether the resident could afford the repairs on her home. With her bank statement showing she was in receipt of the advanced rate of PIP and her state pension, the worker enquired with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) whether the resident was eligible for a pension credit top up.

After a conversation with the DWP, the payment was backdated so the resident received £869.05 that week, and will now receive a further £66.85 per week going forward.

The resident has advised that she will use the additional income to help pay for the necessary repairs on her home.

Councillor Malcolm Allan, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources at Stockport Council, commented: “Stories like this demonstrate the real life impact that claiming additional benefits can have on residents in Stockport. If you haven’t checked your eligibility for pension credit yet, I urge you to do so as it really can make a difference. Stockport Council has lots of support available if you think you are eligible, or know someone who might be. Call Stockport Support Hub on 0161 474 1042 to speak to one of our advisors.”

For more on eligibility of pension credits, visit the Stockport Council dedicated webpage.