An estimated 850,000 pensioner households fail to claim £1.8bn annually in pension credit, which is designed to support retired people struggling on low incomes.

We have found that many of our Owners are not aware that they are entitled to pension credit and could be missing out on additional weekly income, as well as financial support towards their service charge.

Owners who are struggling with their personal care due to health or disability could also be entitled to attendance allowance or personal independence payments. Also, Owners who receive a lower rate of benefit due to their disability may be entitled to additional money if their care needs have increased since they first applied.

But I didn’t think I would be eligible

You may think you are not eligible because you:

• Have savings
• Own your own home
• May be getting a small occupational pension
• Do not think it worth applying as the amount would be very small
• May have been turned down in the past
• Think it’s a complex and confusing subject

What should I do next?

It’s easy to find out if you are eligible and it could mean extra income for your household. If you would like confidential advice or support on any welfare benefits please arrange an appointment with your services manager.

We also suggest watching our video here where Michelle Hackett from the Retirement Security team explains the process in more detail.