Pensioners should act to get money they are owed, says Citizens
Advice
Millions of hard-up
pensioners are missing out on money they should be getting to help
pay basic household bills, including heating and council tax - Citizens Advice warned recently.
Official estimates suggest that up to four in 10 pensioners entitled to
pension credit – money paid to top up the basic state retirement pension
of £87.30 a week - are not getting the extra cash they are due. As much
as £2.5 billion went unclaimed in the financial year 2005/06, the most
recent year for which figures are available.
Many simply assume they do not qualify, or are daunted by the prospect
of making a claim. But, by making a claim for pension credit they could
increase their income to £119.05 a week for a single person or £181.70 a
week for a couple.
The sooner they make a claim - the better. Some pensioners get a substantial lump sum
because
payments can currently be backdated for up to a year. However, this will
change from October 08 if Government plans to cut the backdating period to
only three months go ahead.
The same new backdating time limit will be applied to council tax
benefit, which many pensioners are also missing out on – particularly
those who are homeowners. Pensioners who get council tax benefit can
find their council tax bills substantially reduced or even paid in full,
yet official estimates show barely half of those eligible actually claim
the money they are due.
Unfortunately it is now too late for the over 60's to claim their winter fuel payment
for 2007. For the year just ended (March 31st) they were entitled to
a payment of £200, or £300 for the over 80s. These payments are
normally triggered automatically but some people do specifically need to make
their
claim. Working men aged 60-65 are likely to be in this
category.
