There are a few easy things you can do to increase your state pension.
State pensioners using three easy tricks to increase state pension by £11,494
State pensioners are using easy tricks to increase your state pension – including a grandparent boost worth £6,600. There are a few easy things you can do to increase your state pension.
Some could give you an added £6,600, state pensioners are told. The three tricks are delay your retirement, applying for Pension Credit, and looking after your grandchildren.
If defer your pension by a year, you will get an extra £13.35 a week, or £694.20 a year. You can get a handy pension cash boost of up to £6,600 by looking after your grandchildren over the summer holidays, too.
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And Pension Credit is worth £4,200 for state pensioners. Older people can use it as a gateway benefit, too, providing access to BBC TV licences, council tax reductions and more.
Pension Credit – £4,200
Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
If you are eligible for Pension Credit, this could mean extra weekly money and access to a range of other benefits.
Although Pension Credit is means tested, you may still qualify if you have savings or if you own your own home. It’s worth claiming even if you only qualify for a small amount because Pension Credit unlocks other benefits.
For example:
Free TV Licence (for over 75s)NHS dental care and check upsFree sight tests, vouchers, glass and contact lensesTravel costs to and from hospitalCold weather paymentsHelp towards housing and Council Tax benefitWinter fuel paymentsSpecified Adult Childcare Credits – £6,600
Grandparents who help care for their grandchildren over the summer holidays could be eligible for a significant pension boost – worth up to £6,600.
Many are unaware they can claim financial recognition through Specified Adult Childcare Credits, a form of National Insurance (NI) credit that contributes toward qualifying for the full state pension – currently worth £230.25 per week. To receive the full amount, individuals need 35 years of NI contributions.
Specified Adult Childcare Credits allow family members who care for a child under 12 (or under 17 if they have disabilities) to receive NI credits if the child’s parents receive Child Benefit.
Each year of credited care can add approximately £330 to your annual state pension. Over a 20-year retirement, that’s worth nearly £6,600.
Defer – £694
You don’t have to take your state pension when you hit state pension age, currently age 66. If you defer it, you’ll get paid a higher amount when you do decide to claim – up to 5.8% a year more in fact. But you’ll receive it for a shorter time.
Deferring your State Pension means delaying when you start receiving it, and this can lead to an increase in your weekly payments when you eventually claim. For each year you defer, your pension increases by roughly 5.8%, or about £694 per year currently.
BBC and ITV star Martin Lewis said: “Defer your state pension, and the maths works out that if you live longer than typical life expectancy, you’ll gain; if you live less, you’ll lose. Live a typical lifespan and it’ll be pretty neutral.
“So if you’re in poor health, it’s not really worth considering. If you’re in great health with a history of family longevity, deferring could be a winner.
“Otherwise the real issue is tax – if you’re earning or have a decent income now, but’ll pay tax at a lower rate later on, then deferring can be very worthwhile.”