Martin Lewis’ MSE reveals how pensioners can claim a free TV licence as 800,000 miss out on ‘gateway’ benefit

MARTIN Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com has revealed how pensioners can get a free TV licence worth £169 a year.

The consumer website shared how pension credit claimants aged 75 or over can claim the freebie in its latest newsletter.

PA

Martin Lewis’ MSE has revealed how older households can claim a free TV licence[/caption]

Pension credit is a benefit for hard-up households designed to top up your income to a minimum weekly amount.

The average UK claim is worth £3,900 a year, but around 800,000 are missing out.

The benefit also opens up a host of other discounts, perks and freebies that can give your bank account a boost.

MSE exlained in its latest newsletter: “Pension credit has a superpower… it’s a gateway entitlement triggering many other boons.

“If you’re entitled to the Guarantee Credit element, this also entitles you to a host of other state protections.”

Those on pension credit can claim a council tax reduction worth potentially thousands of pounds, a free TV licence if you are 75 or older and the Warm Home Discount.

The Warm Home Discount is a one-off reduction applied to your energy bills between October and March worth £150.

Claiming pension credit also qualifies you for the Winter Fuel Payment too, after the Government announced a major change to the eligibility criteria.

From this winter, only those on pension credit and other means-tested benefits will receive the up to £300 payment.

The policy is expected to reduce the number of pensioners in receipt of the payment by 10million, from 11.4million to 1.5million, saving the Treasury around £1.4billion this financial year.

The announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves came as she admitted the department was tackling a financial “black hole” left by the previous Conservative Government worth £22billion.

What is pension credit?

Pension credit is a tax-free benefit designed to top up your weekly income to a minimum limit if you are state pension age.

The weekly benefit comes in two parts – guarantee credit and savings credit – and is completely separate from your state pension.

You may be able to make a claim for pension credit if your weekly income is less than:

• £218.15 if you’re single
• £332.95 if you’re a couple.

Pension credit tops up what you currently get to meet the above amounts.

You can claim pension credit even if you have other income, savings or own your home.

The guarantee credit part of pension credit is effectively a top up you receive depending on your circumstances.

For example, you can get an extra £81.50 a week if you are suffering from a severe disability.

If you care for another adult you can get a weekly top up of £45.60, and if you are responsible for a child you could get an extra £66.29 a week.

All the details on how much you can get are on the Government’s website.

Who is eligible?

Pension credit is for people who are of state pension age living in England, Scotland or Wales.

Both people in a couple must be over retirement age to qualify.

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 to apply for pension credit?

You can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age, which is currently 66.

You can apply any time after reaching state pension age, but can only get payments backdated by three months maximum.

That means you might be eligible for up three months’ worth of pension credit in your first payment, if you were eligible over that time period.

Applications can be made on Gov.uk 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 will need the following information to apply and if you have a partner you will also need the same details for them too:

• 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 3 months ago or the date you reached state pension age)

If you are eligible, your benefits are typically paid into a bank account every four weeks.

To find out how much you can get and if you’re eligible, use the calculator on the GOV.UK website.

Here is a full list of freebies available to pensioners, including those on pension credit.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories