"David Wade" wrote in message
...
On 02/08/2020 10:13, RJH wrote:
On 2 Aug 2020 at 10:05:22 BST, "T i m" wrote:

On Sun, 2 Aug 2020 07:31:35 +0100, Farmer Giles
wrote:

snip

Don't pension credits stop when you reach pensionable age? (Assuming
you haven't accumulated enough before then.)


Pension credits do, but Pension Credit is a top-up for those over 60
with no pension or otherwise on a low-income. That's what the poster
meant.

I did indeed and didn't think the two things were different (but
understand how they can be etc).

Eg, initially they may be a top up *towards* your pension (unable to
continue working near retirement age) and then it became a topup *of*
your pension if you weren't above a specific threshold?


I've just looked this up for someone - 70, but doesn't receive the full
pension (he gets about £150) because, he says, he hasn't paid full NI.

According to the Age Concern Calculator, he should now get pension and
savings
credit, pushing his weekly income up to about the full pension. Plus
other
benefits, like council tax rebates.

So if that's correct, he could be a few thousand better off if he claims.
Does
seem a bit perverse to me - IIUC somebody on the basic 'full' pension
with no
other income wouldn't be entitled to these credit-benefits.


I think this was done, at least in part, by the BBC to "cock a snook" at
the Government. Its been estimated that if every one who is entitled to
pension credit claims it will cost the government more than it would to
fund the licence.

I think that's probably an unintended consequence