HELPING HAND
15 freebies and discounts you can get on the state pension in August worth up to £10,000 a year
Find out all the ways you can cut costs in your golden years
IF you’re currently aged 66 or over, you’re eligible to start drawing on your state pension.
But what you might not realise is that there’s a whole host of other benefits, freebies and discounts available once someone reaches state pension age.
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From free prescriptions and dentistry to discounts on regular bills such as energy, council tax and even water, there’s lots of ways to cut costs in your golden years.
This is particularly important for the millions of retirees who have no private pension and are relying on just the State Pension to get by.
At just £221.20 a week, this gives an income of around £11,500 a year - far below the national living wage.
Even for those with private savings, these extra benefits can help you to battle the rising cost of living and enjoy your retirement more fully.
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Here is all the help that’s on offer this August.
Pension credit – worth £3,900 a year on average
If you’re a retiree on a low income, the first thing to check is whether you’re eligible for Pension Credit.
Government figures estimate over 800,000 eligible adults aren't claiming Pension Credit, in many cases because they don't realise they could get it.
This valuable benefit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.
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You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you get any of the following benefits:
- The Attendance Allowance
- the middle or highest rate from the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- The Armed Forces Independence Payment
- the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate
Could you be eligible for Pension Credit?
You could also get an extra £45.60 a week if you get Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payments. If you claimed Carer’s Allowance but don’t get payments because you have another higher paying benefit, you might also be eligible.
If you’re responsible for young people, you could get an extra £66.29 a week, and this is boosted again if the child or young person is disabled.
Claiming Pension Credit is also really important because it gives you access to a lot of other benefits, such as help with council tax, support for mortgage interest payments, cold weather payments, a free TV licence and even housing benefit if you rent.
Government figures suggest that pension credit is worth £75 a week on average, which adds up to £3,900 a year - although some people will get considerably more depending on their circumstances.
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.
Savings credit – worth £884.52 for an individual
There is a second part of Pension Credit, which is called Savings Credit.
To qualify for this, you need to have reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016 and have saved some money for retirement, for instance in a workplace scheme.
You get up to £17.01 Savings Credit a week if you’re single, while a couple gets up to £19.04 a week.
You don’t need to receive the Guaranteed Element of Pension Credit to get Savings Credit.
National insurance exemption – worth £1,791.44 on average
When you've reached state pension age, you no longer pay National Insurance (NI), even if you're still working.
The threshold for NI payments is currently £242 a week from one job for employed people or £12,570 a year for self-employed workers.
For someone over the state pension age, who earns the average UK salary of £34,963, this would mean a saving of £1,791.44.
Free prescriptions – worth £114.50
Everyone aged over 60 gets free prescriptions in the UK.
Anyone under that age can get a prescription pre-payment certificate. These cost £114.50 and will save you money if you need more than 11 prescribed items in a single year.
Free dental treatment – at least £26.80
You’re entitled to free dental treatment if you or your spouse receives the Guarantee Element of pension credit.
How much that will save you, depends on your dental health, but with check-ups costing £26.80 each on the NHS, and crowns costing as much as £319.10, the savings can be enormous.
Free eye tests and glasses - worth at least £30
You can get a free eye test every two years once you’re over 60.
If you need eye tests more regularly, and you get the Guaranteed Element of Pension Credit, you might also be able to get these free through the NHS.
Pension Credit recipients can also get optical vouchers which help towards the cost of your glasses or contact lenses.
An eye test would normally set you back around £30, plus there could be added savings if you need glasses or lenses.
Free TV licence – worth up to £169.50
If you’re over 75 and get Pension Credit, you can get a free TV licence. You also get the benefit if you live with a partner who gets Pension Credit.
You can or by phoning TV licensing on 0300 790 6071.
A colour license costs £169.50 a year, while a black and white licence costs just £57.
Free council tax – worth up to £2,171 on average for a Band D property
If you get the guarantee part of pension credit, you might be eligible for a council tax reduction, worth up to 100% of your annual bill.
If you don’t get Guarantee Credit but have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings, you may still get some help.
You need to contact your council to start a claim.
The average Band D council tax set by local authorities in England for 2024-25 is £2,171.
Free bus pass
In England you can get a bus pass for free travel when you reach the State Pension age.
In London, you can travel free on buses, tubes and other transport when you’re 60.
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Discounted rail travel – save £96 a year
A Senior Railcard allows anyone over 60 to save a third on all Standard and First Class, Anytime, Off-Peak and Advance train fares.
The railcard company says that people with a Senior Railcard save on average £96 per year or £5.26 per journey.
The annual saving is based on the average savings made by Senior Railcard holders between April 2023 and March 2024, excluding the price of the Railcard.
Discounted broadband costs- save £300
There aren’t specific broadband deals for people past state retirement age, but most broadband companies have social tariffs, and they’re usually available for people who get Pension Credit.
There's a list of all the providers which offer social tariffs on telecoms regulator Ofcom's website.
The amount you'll save varies too, although one woman previously revealed how she saved £300 opting for one of the tariffs.
Discounts on energy bills – worth up to £300
If you were born before September 23, 1958 you could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your heating bills this winter.
This is known as a "Winter Fuel Payment". Previously universal, the new Labour government has changed the rules so that now you have to receive certain means-tested benefits to qualify.
One of those benefits is Pension Credit, so it’s well worth making sure you apply if you qualify for this benefit.
Cold weather payment – worth £25 for each week of cold weather
People on Pension Credit are also eligible for cold weather payments.
These give you £25 to help with your bills every time the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0 degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
Warm home discount – worth £150
The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.
If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill.
You can qualify if you either:
- get the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- are on a low income and have high energy costs
Discounted water bills
If you’re on a low income, it’s worth asking your water provider about social tariffs, which can reduce your bill by hundreds of pounds.
Some companies offer a percentage discount, while others offer a fixed rate. If you get money off your council tax bill, you might qualify for an even lower amount.
The WaterSure scheme caps water and sewage bills for eligible customers - typically those who need a lot of water.
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To qualify, you need to receive certain income-related benefits, including Pension Credit, and have a water meter installed.
You’ll also need to show that you need a lot of water and that this is essential for your family.
How does the state pension work?
AT the moment the current state pension is paid to both men and women from age 66 - but it's due to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046.
The state pension is a recurring payment from the government most Brits start getting when they reach State Pension age.
But not everyone gets the same amount, and you are awarded depending on your National Insurance record.
For most pensioners, it forms only part of their retirement income, as they could have other pots from a workplace pension, earning and savings.
The new state pension is based on people's National Insurance records.
Workers must have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance to get the maximum amount of the new state pension.
You earn National Insurance qualifying years through work, or by getting credits, for instance when you are looking after children and claiming child benefit.
If you have gaps, you can top up your record by paying in voluntary National Insurance contributions.
To get the old, full basic state pension, you will need 30 years of contributions or credits.
You will need at least 10 years on your NI record to get any state pension.
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