You could be missing out on money which you never have to pay back.
You could be missing out on money which you never have to pay back.
State pensioners can get a whole range of freebies to ease cost pressures. You could be missing out on money which you never have to pay back.
The State Pension isn’t means-tested, but the amount you get is determined by how many qualifying years of National Insurance Contributions or credits you’ve amassed.
You’ll need at least 10 years’ worth to qualify for any State Pension payment and around 35 for the maximum amount – this could be higher for those who were ‘contracted out’. But that’s not all – there are plenty of other perks available too.
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The current State Pension age is 66 years old for both men and women. Making the most of nine perks can help ease cost pressures as well as enhancing the quality of life without spending more.
Here’s Birmingham Live’s guide to the freebies and discounts available for pensioners this May.
Discounted travel – £1,084
The Senior Railcard offers a third off train fares. It costs £30 but the average cardholder saves £96 annually, add that to the cost of bus travel and you see savings of more than £1,000.
Age UK offer support through our free Advice Line. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. It says: “We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs. You can contact on 0800 768 1602.
“We work with Wordskii to offer free interpreted calls. Visit the Wordskii website and select the language you would like to take the call in from the menu at the top right of the screen. This will tell you the best number to call.”
Free passport – £94.50
You can get or renew a British passport for free if you’re a British national and you were born on or before 2 September 1929. You can also use the Post Office Check and Send service for free and get free secure delivery.
A scheme was introduced in 2004 to provide free passports for British citizens then aged 75 or over “in grateful commemoration for their wartime efforts”. The scheme is aimed at those who were 16 or older at the end of the war.
From time to time calls are made to extend the scheme, so that it would provide for free passports for all persons above a certain age. However, successive governments have rejected this idea. They have argued that introducing an ongoing age-related concession for free passports would be considerably more expensive than the existing scheme, and could require an increase in the passport fee paid by other applicants.
Free prescriptions – worth £114.50 annually
Everyone aged over 60 gets free prescriptions. If you’re under 60 you can save money on prescriptions by buying prescription prepayment certificates from the NHS for 3 or 12 months. This covers all your prescriptions for that period, regardless of how many you need.
If you’re 60 or over you’re also entitled to a free NHS sight test, so you should let your optician know when you reach 60.
If you need regular prescriptions and buy an annual prepayment certificate, you can save up to £114.50 annually.
Free eye tests – £25
All over-60s qualify for free NHS eye tests, which typically cost between £20 and £25. If you’re 60 or over you might need to show proof of age to the pharmacist to get free prescriptions.
If you receive any of the benefits listed above you just need to show your benefit award letter to health care staff when you book or attend an appointment.
If you qualify through the NHS Low Income Scheme you’ll either get a HC2 certificate that entitles you to full help or a HC3 certificate for partial help with health costs. Tell staff you have a certificate when you book an appointment and bring it with you to your appointment.
National insurance exemption – £1,851.20
S omeone earning £20,000 a year currently pays £594 in primary Class 1 NICs, while an employee earning £40,000 this year will pay £2,194, according to data from Tax.org.uk.
The average weekly wage in the UK according to the ONS is £687 for total earnings which would mean a typical £1,851.20 in National Insurance, which you save after State Pension Age.
Pension Credit – £4,300
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age who have a low income. It comes in 2 parts: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. It’s separate from your State Pension.
By claiming Pension Credit, you might become eligible for other benefits too, such as help with health and housing costs. You’ll be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, worth £300.
You have nothing to lose by applying, and potentially a lot to gain – and if you’ve previously been turned down, you can still make a new claim each year.
Free TV licence – £174.50
If you’re 75 or over and you receive Pension Credit you can claim a free TV licence, saving you £174.50 a year. With Pension Ceredit, you’ll be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment during particularly cold weather. Only people who have reached state pension age and are entitled to a means-tested benefit will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, an annual payment to help with heating costs during the colder months.
Free NHS dental treatment – save £26.80
You’ll be eligible for help with the NHS costs mentioned above if you or your partner receive any of the following benefits:
- the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit (in some circumstances)
- Universal Credit (if you meet certain criteria – find out more on the NHS website).
If you don’t receive any of these benefits but have a low income, you may still be eligible for some help with health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. You can either apply for the NHS Low Income Scheme online or by post.
Discounted broadband – save £142.92
Many broadband providers offer discounted social tariffs for those on low income. These plans often cost as little as £14.99 per month, compared to the average broadband cost of £26.90 per month, and they usually include line rental too.
Over the year, this could save you £142.92.