I’M FILLING DELIGHTED
TRIP TO DENTIST LEADS TO BENEFIT BOOST OAP praises CAB for £940 bonanza
AN OAP has described her elation at receiving £940 in backdated pension credits after she went to her local Citizens Advice Bureau for help with a dental bill.
Helen Simpson, 67, from Musselburgh, East Lothian, went to the dentist last summer with toothache and was told treatment would cost hundreds of pounds.
But she said her income of a state pension and personal independence payment was “not enough to live on” and left her struggling to afford the treatment.
She said: “I was actually shocked because I thought as a pensioner I would get it for free.
“So I went to the Citizens Advice Bureau in Musselburgh, and explained the situation.
“They asked me why I wasn’t claiming Pension Credit Guarantee. I said I’d never heard of it and didn’t even know what it was.
“They told me that it was a weekly benefit and that they thought I was eligible to claim it.” Helen received help from advisers to claim the benefit, which boosted her income by £83 per week, and was backdated for three months.
The £940 payment was made to her bank account that evening, which she describes as a “lifechanging” amount of money.
She added: “Well, you can imagine, I was gobsmacked. That sort of money is life-changing for me.
“Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be going on a cruise to the Bahamas or buying a Rolls Royce.
“I’m still living pretty near the breadline. But this extra money has made all the difference.
“It meant I could get my teeth fixed, and I can keep the heating on instead of rationing it. And there’s food in the cupboard, plus I can also treat my little dog a bit more.”
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is urging people to check what benefits and other funds they may be entitled to and has enlisted Helen to help launch the charity’s “Get it Claimed” campaign.
She said: “I’m keen now to get the message out to other people not to make the same mistake. It’s your money, so get it claimed.”
Stephanie Millar of CAS added: “In the current circumstances, every penny counts. We can’t promise everyone has a fortune in unclaimed money but it costs nothing to let us check for you.
“As with all CAB advice, this process is completely free, confidential and independent. So today I’m asking people to check what you’re missing out on.”
I won’t be going on cruise or buying a Rolls-Royce HELEN SIMPSON ON BEING CAREFUL WITH EXTRA CASH