MSP urges constituents to apply for pension credit

A Perthshire politician is urging her constituents to apply for Pension Credit.

Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for the Perthshire South and Kinrossshire constituency, is encouraging residents to sign up after the Department for Work and Pensions launched a campaign of awareness for the scheme.

Ms Cunningham said:“The DWP has launched a campaign about

Pension Credit but the circulation of the information seems to be fairly limited so I want to play my part in spreading the word.

“Many older people do not apply for Pension Credit because they think they aren’t eligible or that it isn’t a lot of money.

“In fact, the average Pension Credit payment is over £58 per week, which works out at over £3000 per year.

“On top of that, having a claim approved for Pension Credit can open doors to other benefits like help with rent and council tax as well as qualification for Cold Weather Payments.

“Many people think that because they own their own home, or have savings, that Pension Credits do not apply to them but you can have savings or another pension and still get extra money.

“And almost half of the people who get Pension Credit own their own home.

“Even if you are not entitled to a state pension, you might still get

Pension Credit and even if you have applied unsuccessfully in the past, changes in personal circumstances, income or capital, may mean that you now qualify.

“You can use the online Pension Credit calculator or consult a trained benefits advisor such as those provided by Citizens Advice Scotland and Age Scotland.”

For more information go to www. gov.uk/pension-credit