Check if you’re eligible to claim pension credit now
Check if you can claim pension credit now, free 80 PG Tips bags, free gym membership for 16-18 year olds and check now if your energy bill’s in credit. These are our Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis’ Quick Deals.
Remember, deals can change quickly, even while I’m on the programme. So always double-check the terms and conditions before spending. Plus, while I hope these deals will save you cash, don’t spend if you can’t afford it, don’t need it, or won’t use it.
Check if you’re eligible to claim pension credit now – it could also mean from next year over 75s won’t have to pay a TV licence fee
Pension credit is a tax-free benefit for retired people on low incomes. It’s means tested, but for those who qualify it can be worth up to £1,000s a year extra. But the latest Government figures estimate 40% of those who are entitled to pension credit don't claim, leaving up to 1.3 million households missing out on the benefit.
To qualify for it, you must live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and have reached state pension age. This varies depending on when you were born – use the Government's calculator to check.
Pension credit is made up of two elements:
- Guarantee credit. If your weekly income is less than £167.25 as a single pensioner, or your joint weekly income is less than £255.25 as a couple, your income will be topped up to this level.
- Savings credit. This is mostly only available to those who reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, who have some savings for retirement. You could be eligible for up to £13.73 extra per week for a single person, or £15.35 per week for a couple.
So over your lifetime it could add up to £1,000s extra. And on top of that, the BBC has just announced that from 1 June 2020, it’s scrapping its free TV licences to over 75s, unless you’re claiming pension credit. And as the standard colour TV licence currently costs £154.50/year, it's worth double-checking your entitlement now.
Those who will be over 75 but don't receive pension credit, will be covered by their current free licence until 31 May 2020, after that they’ll have to pay. It's also worth noting you only need a TV licence if you watch or record programmes as they're being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, and to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer.
To check if you're eligible for pension credit and the quickest way to apply is to call the Pension Service on 0800 99 1234. You’ll need your national insurance number, information about your income, savings and investments and your bank account details. You can also backdate your claim by asking over the phone when you apply - or, if you apply by post, putting on the application form that you want to backdate your claim.
Free 6-week gym membership for 16-18 year olds – great for the summer holidays
If you're aged 16-18, you can get a totally free six-week gym membership at The Gym (there’s over 160 gyms across the country). Go online and select the gym you want to join, then once you've completed an online induction, you’ll be emailed a unique eight-digit code that will give you access to your chosen gym, and you'll be asked to show proof of age the first time you visit (passport, driving licence or student card will do) by Tuesday 16 July.
You’ll get free unlimited access to the gym and classes for six weeks from the date you sign up. It’s only for use between the off-peak hours of 9.30am to 4pm, every day of the week. You won't need to set up a contract and no payment details will be taken.
Free £2ish box of PG Tips
Go online to PG Tips and pledge to share a cuppa with someone (in reality this doesn’t involve you doing anything, other than entering your own details), and you’ll then be sent a coupon to your home address for up to £2.71 off a box of 80 teabags, making them free at most retailers. The coupon's valid until Thursday 8 August, and there's around 50,000 left, so go quickly if this is something you'd like.
Check NOW if your energy bill's in credit. As if it is at this time of year, you're likely due cash back
If you're one of about 70% who pay for electricity or gas bills by direct debit, check NOW if you're due credit back – the timing is perfect, so don’t delay in checking. Full help in Martin’s How to reclaim £100s in energy credit blog, but in brief…
With most direct debit energy bills, you pay the same each month, to smooth out the cash flow. In other words, you overpay in the low-use summer months, to prevent bill shock in the costly winter months. Yet direct debits are usually an estimate of your usage, which means they can be, and often are, wrong - though as it's cyclical it's often tough to tell, UNTIL THIS POINT OF THE YEAR.
In around May your energy account will bottom out and be in debit, and as it can take a bit of time to filter into your bill, this is a spot-on moment to check. It means everyone, regardless of when you switched, should usually be at the lowest point, and not in credit.
If you’re in credit by over a month's direct debit, then assuming you give regular meter readings (if not, do one first) or have a smart meter, check your energy account online or on the phone. To be a month's worth in credit right now is a lot, so unless you're with one of the few firms that pay you interest on it, politely request your provider explains why, and if its reason isn't good enough, ask for the cash back.
The impact can be huge, as Claire tweeted: "@MartinSLewis Phoned my energy supplier as I was paying £147/mth and was £960 in credit. They reduced my DD to £80 and I got a £570 refund."