State Pension
If you retire before you're entitled to your state pension, and you no longer pay National Insurance contributions, your state pension could be affected.
If you think your National Insurance record might have gaps in it, you can ask for the state's pension forecast.
This will tell you
- how much state pension you could get
- when you can get it
- how to increase it, if you can.
You can get your forecast online at https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension or ask your local Benefits Agency office for a form. You can also get in touch by calling 0800 731 0453
More about the basic state pension: https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age
Claiming Other Benefits
Once you start receiving your LGPS pension, there may also be state benefits that you can claim. Contact the Department for Work and Pensions if you think you may be entitled to other benefits. https://www.gov.uk/check-benefits-financial-support
You can get information online at www.gov.uk or from your local Department for Work and Pensions office. If you're thinking about claiming a state benefit, the sooner you act, the better.
In most cases, benefits can only be paid from the date of your claim and are rarely backdated.
Dealing with a pensioner's financial issues
If you are dealing with the financial issues of one of our pensioners, we would need to see a power of attorney or court order served (officially stamped by) the Office of the Public Guardian. We won’t be able to discuss any issue with you without a copy of one of the documents noted above.