If you are in receipt of State Pension this will not have been affected by Welfare Reform. Some pensioners are also able to claim other benefits and this page will give you more information on changes to those benefits and what to do if something goes wrong with your claim
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Some older people may be paying too much council taxSome older people have been overcharged council tax. Find out if you are affected and how to get your money back.Find out more...Pension Credit
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit paid to older people whose income from State pension, private pensions and any other income resources falls below a minimum level. Benefits paid to pensioners are largely unchanged as a result of welfare reform but there is a significant change in relation to when a couple who have different ages become entitled to claim Pension Credit. For more information about this you should refer to Pension Credit Changes and Universal Credit. If you need advice about any aspect of your benefit claim you should refer to Where to get advice
Pension Credit Changes and Universal CreditWho can claim Pension Credit? At the moment you can claim Pension Credit as soon as you reach the pension age for a woman. These dates are available from the Age UK website If you are in a couple you can claim Pension Credit as soon as the oldest member of the couple reaches this age. […]Find out more...
Where to get adviceInformation about where to get face to face advice on benefits and financial issuesFind out more...
Housing Benefit
Older people are generally protected from the reductions in housing costs payable to other groups of claimants but some older people may be affected by the changes to Housing Costs Contributions and Non-Dependents. If older people experience difficulties as a result of not getting their full housing costs met they may be able to claim a Discretionary Housing Payment. If you need help with any benefits problems you should refer to Where to get advice
Discretionary Housing PaymentInformation about Discretionary Housing Payment and how to claim thisFind out more... Housing Costs Contributions and Non-dependentsInformation to explain how much other people living in your house are expected to pay you towards the rent or mortgage and how this will change under Universal Credit Find out more... Where to get adviceInformation about where to get face to face advice on benefits and financial issuesFind out more...Something Wrong With Your Claim?
This section of the website gives advice on some of the most common crisis situations arising for older people due to welfare reform. If you are left without any income some solutions are suggested in the article What to do if you have no income? If you wish to dispute a decision that has been made against you, you will need to go through the Mandatory Reconsideration process. If you need help with any situation when something has gone wrong see the article Where to get advice
Mandatory ReconsiderationAn explanation of Mandatory Reconsideration the first stage of disputing a decision that has gone against you and how to make it work to increase your chances of successFind out more...
What To Do If You Have No Income?Information about the main reasons you may have no income and suggestions of what you can do depending on your cirucmstancesFind out more... Where to get adviceInformation about where to get face to face advice on benefits and financial issuesFind out more...