State pension age is 66 for both men and women.
On 15 May 2019, the law changed so that a ‘mixed age couple’ (a couple where one partner is a pensioner, and the other is under pension age) are considered to be a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested benefits.
Our advice is to apply for Universal Credit before you turn state pension age so that you don’t lose out on money.
Here is an example of how Trivallis has supported one mixed age couple:
Trivallis received a notification that a tenant’s Housing Benefit was being suspended. Following a conversation with their Rent Account Manager, the tenant explained that one of them would be turning state pension age, shortly. An urgent referral was made to the Money Advice Team to see how the tenants could be supported.
As the tenant was still under state pension age at the time, to keep claiming housing costs, they needed to make an immediate claim for Universal Credit.
If this had been missed and the couple had tried to make a Universal Credit claim after the tenant turned 66, they would have missed out on an additional £390 of disability premium. There would be no way of challenging this decision.
If you’re a mixed age couple where one of you is reaching 66, please reach out to the Money Advice Team who will be able to support you in maximising your finances and making sure you don’t miss out.
To get in touch with the team, please contact us here or call 01443 494560 to speak to a member of the Money Advice Team.
This piece is from our summer issue of Valleys Magazine and Y Bae Magazine.