Money & Benefits
Benefit from being older!Every year, millions miss out on benefits they could claim, especially Council Tax and Housing Benefits. Make sure you aren't one of them!
Ring 0191 477 3559 anytime 9-5 Monday - Friday.
New Weekly Benefit rates
Guarantee Credit
Single person £124.05 or upto £174.40 if claiming disability benefits
Couple £189.35 or upto £345.55 if claiming disability and carer's benefits
Attendance Allowance
Higher rate £67.00
Lower rate £44.85
Disability Living Allowance
- Care component
Higher rate £67.00
Middle rate £44.85
Low rate £17.75
- Mobility component
High rate £46.75
Low rate £17.75
Basic State pension
(although this should never be all you have - if it is, you should be claiming other benefits and should get in touch)
Single person £90.70
Couple £145.05
Carer's Allowance
Claimant £50.55
Why should I have a benefits check?
Legislation changes which came into force from October 2003 brought with them a whole new benefit. Pension Tax Credit is made up of two related benefits, Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
Guarantee Credit replaced Income Support/Minimum Income Guarantee for those 60+, with a few notable exceptions. There is no longer any capital limit, so you can have as much savings as you like and still apply, but it is self limiting and you will not qualify if you have high savings and a fair income. Also, the amount of income that will be assumed for each pound over £6000 changed to £1 per £500, instead of £1 per £250 as in the old Income Support rules. This means that many people who couldn't claim under the old rules now can for the first time. There are a few other changes for older people in more unusual circumstances, such as looking after a child or on spousal maintenance, but broadly, the rules follow those of Income Support/Minimum Income Guarantee.
Savings credit is a new benefit. Only those 65+ can apply and you have to be getting more than the basic pension, or have savings of over £6000. This is because the benefit is to reward
people who have provided for their retirement, either by saving or by paying into retirement pensions (state or personal/occupational).
The calculations are complicated though and so the best thing to do is have a Benefits Check.
Just get in touch!
Can you claim ?
Current Benefits
You will find below a brief guide to four of the most common benefits older people are missing out on and information about qualifying. You should however remember that something seemingly inconsequential could have a huge effect on entitlement. So if you want to find out for sure, ring us on 0191 477 3559 and ask to speak to an Information and Advice Worker.
Housing Benefit 
This is a benefit to cover the cost of rented accommodation, whether it is private, council or housing association. Where the rent is high or you share your accommodation, the benefit may not cover your rent. Nor does it cover water rates or charges for heating, lighting or meals. If your savings are more than £16,000 you cannot claim unless you get Guarantee Credit. Again, any savings that are less than £6,000 do not affect your benefit and any in between these amounts are counted on a sliding scale.
Council Tax Benefit
A benefit with rules very similar to Housing Benefit, but to pay for your Council tax. This is a vastly underclaimed benefit and up to 2 million older people nationwide are entitled but not claiming -don't be one of them!
Attendance Allowance/Disability Living Allowance
Benefits for people with mobility problems or those who need help with personal care such as bathing, dressing etc. It is not the help you get that is important but the help you need, and you do not actually have to have someone to help you or use any resulting benefit for that purpose. However, needing help with housework or shopping does not count and only Disability Living Allowance looks at walking outside. The two benefits are basically the same, but if you are over 65, you apply for Attendance Allowance, under 65, Disability Living Allowance.
Should you get these benefits, it will not affect other benefits detrimentally. It can only entitle you to more benefit.
Carers Allowance
A benefit someone can claim if you have Attendance Allowance or High/Middle Rate Care on Disability Living Allowance. They need to give you 35 hours or over of care per week, and they must be earning less than £84 per week.
If a member of your family or a friend wants to claim this benefit for looking after you, you should contact us for a better-off calculation first, as it may have implications on your benefits.
The information given is meant to be a guide and not a substitute for proper advice.
We can help you to check your entitlement and apply for any of these benefits. Just get in touch!
Free Tax Advice Service
We provide tax advice at a monthly surgery held by qualified tax accountants. This can be about an existing problem, a hypothetical query or even just wanting to check your tax code is right-quite often, it isn't!!! To book an appointment, contact us in the usual way.
G
et £425 off your Council Tax Bill!
This is the amount an average pensioner's bill could be cut by just by making a claim for Council Tax Benefit. Upto £1.1 billion is unclaimed each year with upto 2 million pensioner households nationwide missing out. Owner occupiers can also claim and are particularly bad at claiming their rights, with less than half eligible making a claim. So if you can think of something better to do with £425 per year than give it to the council, get in touch now!