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Provided by Mae Stewart, Editor UNISON Retired members Newsletter,
Dundee, Perth and Angus. Please note that this is not definitive
information about benefits but will provide a signpost as to where
to get up to date information. Please check the sources first.
UNISON Scotland can take no responsibility for information that
may be outdated or inaccurate.
Issue 3 April 2003 top
| Information & Resources Index Collecting
Retirement PensionA booklet has been
produced informing you of the methods by which you will be able to collect your
retirement pension after April 2003. It was with interest that
I learned that you will still be able to collect your benefit at your local
post office, as I had thought previously that this might not be the case.. Anyone
interested in receiving this booklet should telephone the Post Office helpline
on: 08457 22 33 44 top
| Information & Resources Index Benefit
Entitlements for Older PeopleAttendance
Allowance: Benefit
for people aged 65 or over, intended to help with extra costs arising from
illness or disability. Higher rate: £57.20 Lower
rate: £38.30 Disability Living
Allowance: Benefit
for people aged under 65, intended to help with extra costs arising from
illness or disability. Care Component Mobility Component Higher
rate: £57.20 Higher rate: £39.95 Middle
rate: £38.30 Lower rate: £15.15 Lower rate: £15.15 Income
Support [Minimum Income Guarantee] Pension Credit from October 2003: Housing
Benefit/Council Tax Benefit* Top up
benefits based on income and savings. Standard amounts for people aged 60 or over
from April 2003, and Pension Credit appropriate from October 2003. Single
person: £102.10 Couple: £155.80 Housing Benefit/Council
Tax Benefit standard amounts for people aged 65 and over from October 2003. Single
Person: £116.90 Couple: £175.00 Carer's Allowance
[formerly Invalid Care Allowance] A
benefit for people who are unable to work full-time because they are caring for
a severely disabled person: £43.15 Incapacity benefit: A
contributory benefit for people under state pension age who are unable to work
owing to illness or disability. Long term rate: £72.15 Retirement
Pension: State pension age 60 for women and 65 for men: Basic
rate: £77.45 Wife on husbands contributions: £46.35 Couple
on husbands contributions: £123.80 Winter Fuel Payment: Annual
payment for each pensioner household: £200 Christmas
Bonus Allocated per pensioner: £10 *[These rates may
be higher for some carers, disabled people and homeowners with certain
housing costs.] The above data on benefits
was taken from information supplied by Age Concern [apologies for any misquotes].
However you can get any other information you may require by calling the Age Concern
information freephone on: 0800 00 99 66. You
can obtain a free ‘Your Rights' pack by telephoning the above number. They are
open seven days a week, from 7am - 7pm. You
can download free information from the website at: www.ageconcern.org.uk I
quote information from an Age Concern leaflet: ‘Every
year Age Concern encourages older people to claim millions of pounds in unclaimed
benefits by making sure you get the information you need'. So make sure you're
not one of the folk missing out. It only takes a free telephone call. top
| Information & Resources Index Scottish
Pensioners ForumHustings Conference - Glasgow ‘What
Our Manifesto Offers the Older People of Scotland' MSP's
in Attendance: Phyllis White: SNP
Tommy Sheridan: SSP
Pauline M'Neil: Labour
Liberal:
Bill Aitken: Conservative
Robin Harper: Green My
apologies. I thought I had written down the names of all the MSP's, but on reading
my notes I have inadvertently not noted down the Liberal MSP. The
conference was divided into two parts. Each politician gave their parties policies
on pensioner issues. There was a break for coffee, and then a question and answer
session. The question and answer session was certainly the
liveliest part of the day. It was evident that there will be lots of questions
on all pensioners issues up to the Scottish May elections. It
was with interest that I noted from one of the leaflets handed out that a group
of people have formed a Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party. There
was certainly plenty of ‘gray power' present at this meeting. Transco
Emergency NumberA leaflet from Transco contained information
about a free emergency telephone number that I thought those of you amongst us
who have gas supplies might be interested in having to hand. This service operates
24 hours a day. They are responsible for repairing gas leaks inside the home and
out. They can be contacted on: 0800 111 999 Mae
Stewart top | Information &
Resources Index | 
Retired Members
Information & Resources