Come to a pension event and find out if you’re eligible for support
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
People can see if they qualify for Pension Credit and other financial support at the last of a series of popular advice sessions which Wakefield’s Residents First Group have run during 2024.
“We want as many people as possible to attend our final advice sessions of 2024. If you’ve not already been to one, don’t miss out. Lots of people have been to the sessions and it’s made a big difference to their finances.
“We want everyone who is eligible for Pension Credit to make sure they apply for it. The additional help you receive from the Government also automatically makes you eligible for a range of other support, including the Winter Fuel Allowance.”
Cllr Maureen Cummings
Cabinet Member for Communities and Poverty
The final sessions will take place on:
Friday 13 December at Ossett Library, 1pm to 3pm
Monday 16 December at Havercroft Community Centre, 9.30am to 1pm
Monday 16 December at Ackworth Community Centre, 10am to 12pm
The Residents First Group, a partnership of organisations including Wakefield Council, Citizens Advice Wakefield District, Wakefield District Housing and local Voluntary, Community, Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, are hosting events across the district with support from local councilors. They are encouraging retirees to come to one of their community sessions to speak to a friendly advisor.
The expert advisors can check if people are entitled to Pension Credit, which would make them eligible for other support including NHS dental treatment and glasses, transport costs for hospital appointments, housing benefit, council tax support and for over 75’s a free TV license.
An award of just £1 in Pension Credit allows retirees to receive the Winter Fuel Allowance.
People who are not pensioners are also welcome to come to events, to talk to advisors, to see if they’re eligible for additional help or for general cost of living support.
Nationally, 880,000 pensioners are missing out on £3,900 of Pension Credit and the additional support available.
Simon Topham, chair of the Residents First Group, said: “ We’ve had a great response. And we’re so pleased to be making a difference to residents We know from using national figures this means around 4,000 local pensioners in Wakefield District are missing out on Pension Credits and could miss out on the Winter Fuel payment and a lot of other benefits.
“We’re reminding people that even if you think you’re not eligible because you have savings, you might well be pleasantly surprised. It costs nothing to come to the events and have a friendly, face-to-face chat with our team.”
Residents can also speak with a friendly advisor about any issues they are facing, including money, household bills, energy support and housing.
To find out more visit www.wakefield.gov.uk/PensionCredit
For information
The Residents First Group (RFG) was initially a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and now acts as a partnership who aims to reduce poverty and support residents with the cost-of-living challenge.
Since Help at the Hubs (HATH) first began in November 2020, the Citizens Advice service within HATH venues has helped over 4,000 people with 10,000 issues and secured recorded income gains of £2,218,000.
RFG ran three ‘benefits campaigns’ (Your Money Matters’) that helped 344 households with financial gains over the three campaigns of £866k (that is an average income gain per household of over £2,500).
Other projects part-funded by RFG: Food Aid Network; Knottingley Community Shop; funds provided to 9 Community Hubs; and is about to support the new Prosper Wakefield Child Bed Poverty Campaign.