A to Z
This A to Z list will point you in the right direction to finding more information about the entitlements or services you might receive once you are a pensioner. You can also look up pension options open to you if you are planning or reviewing your retirement income. Click on the relevant letter below.
For more options visit the A to Z of the Department for Work and Pensions website
Paid work: If you have reached State
Pension age, but you want to keep doing paid work, you could benefit
from New Deal 50 Plus and Jobcentres Plus programmes.
Find out more about paid work after
State Pension age
Partnership Fund : The Department for Work and Pensions
is providing short-term funding to local or national organisations and
the voluntary sector for projects designed to improve take-up of entitlements
and services among older people.
Find out about The Partnership
Fund
Pension Credit: Pension Credit is an entitlement for people aged 60 and over introduced by the Government from October 2003, replacing Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG). It guarantees everyone aged 60 and over an income of at least:
- £124.05 a week if you are single or
- £189.35 a week if you have a partner
If you or your partner are aged 65 or over and you have saved some money towards your retirement, such as savings or a second pension, you may get extra Pension Credit. This is savings credit and could be up to:
- £25.26 a week if you are single or
- £26.13 a week if you have a partner
Find out more about Pension Credit
Pension forecast or combined pension forecast: See State Pension forecast
Pension forecasts for overseas customers:
Find out more about pension forecasts
for overseas customers on the HM Revenue & Customs website
Pension Protection Fund: is a new organisation that,
protects members of defined benefit schemes by paying compensation if
their employer becomes insolvent and the pension scheme is underfunded.
Find out more on the
Pension Protection Fund website
Pension simplification: The Pickering Report on Pensions
Simplification was compiled by independent pensions expert Alan Pickering
and published on 11 July 2002.
Read or download the Pickering report on the Department for Work and Pensions
website
Pension Tracing Service: If you think you may have
an old pension, but are not sure of the details, the Pension Tracing Service
can usually help by tracing it for you.
Find out how to trace a pension
Pensioners' guide: This guide provides comprehensive
information on all the benefits and assistance available to pensioners.
Read and print Pensioners'
guide – England and Wales
Read and print Pensioners'
guide – Scotland
Pensions Act 2004: Find out more about the Pensions Act 2004, including reforms to bolster protection for pension scheme members, on the Department for Work and Pensions website
Pensions Debate: Go to National Pensions Debate
Pensions Education Fund: The fund aims to increase financial
awareness among working people - both employees and the self employed
- giving them the information they need to help them make decisions about
their retirement. Not-for-profit organisations (such as trade unions,
trade associations, charities and voluntary sector bodies) will bid for
and use money from the Fund to develop innovative ways to actively engage
with working people.
Find out more about the Pensions
Education Fund on the Department for Work and Pensions website
Pensions reform: Find out about the Government’s reforms to the State Pensions system under the Pensions Act 2007 and the Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2008
Pensions Regulator: The new regulator of work-based
pension schemes in the UK.
Find out more about on
the The Pensions Regulator on the Department for Work and Pensions' website
Pensions Tax Simplification: From 6 April 2006 there
was a new tax regime for pensions called Pensions Tax Simplification.
It replaced the eight existing tax regimes with one.
Find out more
about Pensions Tax Simplification on HM Revenue & Customs website
Personal pension: A personal pension is a type of private
pension that is approved by HM Revenue & Customs and receives certain
tax advantages. You take out a personal pension under a contract with
a pension provider and contribute to it yourself. However, some employers
may contribute to your personal pension. It is personal to you, and you
can take it from job to job.
Find out more about personal pensions
Policy changes: Go to Pensions reform
Postponing State Pension: Go to State Pension Deferral
Prescriptions: Everyone aged 60 or
over can get free NHS prescriptions and eye tests. If you are receiving
the Pension Credit, you may also receive free wigs, fabric supports and
vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
Find out more about prescriptions on the NHS Prescription Pricing Authority
website
Priority Service Register: If you are over 60 and a
domestic consumer of gas and electricity, you may be eligible for free
services. Every gas and electricity supplier must provide a range of free,
optional services under a scheme called the Priority Service Register.
You can find out about free services available under the Priority Service
Register from energywatch, the independent gas and electricity consumer
watchdog.
Contact energywatch on 0845 906 0708 (typetalk 18001 0845 906 0708)
Visit the energywatch website
Private pension: A private pension scheme relies on
direct payments to an organisation which invests on your behalf. It can
be set up by an employer or private financial company. Occupational pensions
and personal pensions including stakeholder pensions and group personal
pensions are types of private pensions.
Find out more about private
pensions
Find out more about personal
pensions
Find out more about occupational
pensions
Publications: Go to Guides and forms