Who is this course for?

This course is for advisers who support older people and who have an understanding of the benefits system, especially means-tested benefits. This is not an introductory course.

Aims

Participants will gain an awareness of benefits which can be claimed by people over pension age, and will understand how to ensure that such clients can receive their full benefit entitlement. Particular attention will be given to showing how disablement or frailty in this age group can increase benefit entitlement, and how mixed age couples are treated in social security terms.

Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

• be aware of the basic rules of entitlement to Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax reduction for people over pension age
• have an understanding of when Pension Credit additional amounts are payable
• be aware of other entitlements, such as State Pension, and when they may be payable
• be able to advise mixed age couples on which benefits they may be able to claim: whether they are able to claim Pension Credit and Housing Benefit or will come under the Universal Credit system
• be aware of the basic rules of entitlement to Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance
• be aware of further sources of information