THOUSANDS of pensioners are thought to be missing out on a free TV licence, and £3,900 in cash.
The cost of a TV licence has risen in recent weeks so you might want to check now if you can save some cash.
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To legally watch or record live TV in the UK, you must have a TV licence, which currently costs £169 a year.
The DWP has issued a reminder for people to check if they can get the mandatory licence, as well as free cash worth £3,900 a year.
This help comes by way of the benefit Pension Credit, of which 850,000 are thought to be missing out on.
DWP posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “With Pension Credit you could get additional financial help, plus other support including a free TV licence for over 75s.
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“Around 1.4million households are already getting Pension Credit. Could you get it too?”
Under the current rules, those who are over 75 and receiving Pension Credit are eligible for a free licence.
You can apply for the discount on the TV licensing website or by calling 0300 790 6117.
Meanwhile, we explain in full what Pension Credit is and how you can apply.
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What is Pension Credit?
Pension credit is worth around £3,900 a year on average and unlocks many other benefits, such as council tax reductions and help with energy costs.
There are other bonuses available too, such as cold weather payments, free NHS dental treatment and a free TV licence.
While around 1.4million pensioners are already receiving Pension Credit, there are an estimated 880,000 households eligible for the support who are yet to claim it.
It’s definitely worth seeing if you can apply.
How do I apply for pension credit?
YOU can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age.
Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you’ll need to be with them when they do.
You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:
- National Insurance number
- Information about any income, savings and investments you have
- Information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually three months ago or the date you reached state pension age)
If you claim after you reach pension age, you can backdate your claim for up to three months.
How much is Pension Credit worth?
Retirees on a low income can get it topped up via Pension Credit.
Pension Credit is worth £218.15, and for couples, it’s £332.95.
If your income is lower than this, you should be eligible for the benefit.
You could get the “Savings Credit” part of Pension Credit if both of the following apply:
- You reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016
- You saved some money for retirement, for example, a personal or workplace pension
This part of Pension Credit is worth £17.01 or for couples, £19.04.
You may also get additional Pension Credit if you are disabled, have caring responsibilities or have to pay certain housing costs such as mortgage interest payments.
You can find out more about Pension Credit including how to apply in our guide.
Who is eligible for Pension Credit?
Anyone over the state pension age living in England, Scotland, or Wales is eligible for Pension Credit.
The state pension age is currently 66 for both men and women.
To qualify, you must have a weekly income of less than £218.15 for single people or £332.95 for couples.
Your estimated income could include:
- Your state pension
- Any other pensions you have saved, for instance, workplace or private pension savings
- Most social security benefits, for example, carer’s allowance
- Any savings or investments worth over £10,000
- Earnings from a job
The calculation does not include:
- Attendance allowance
- Christmas bonus
- Disability living allowance
- Personal independence payment
- Housing benefit
- Council tax reduction
If your income is too high to get Pension Credit, you may still get some savings Pension Credit, so it’s worth checking.
It used to be the case that couples, where one person was over state pension age, could claim, but new rules now mean that both people in a couple must be over retirement age to apply.
This means if you’re single and move in with a partner who is younger than the state pension age, you will stop being eligible.
But if you’re already receiving Pension Credit under the old system it won’t stop unless your circumstances change.
How will I be paid?
Your benefits will usually be paid into a bank account roughly every four weeks.
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You will be asked to provide your bank account details when you claim.
Concessions are sometimes made for people who don’t have access to a bank account.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
