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Briefing Notes

Briefing Note 11 - Is the pension credit also important for couples?

Previous studies have shown that people on low incomes are entitled to claim the Pension Credit (PC) as soon as they reach retirement age and also that the proportion of individuals entitled to claim the PC will increase over time. But is this also true for couples?

This Briefing Note shows that means-testing impacts on pensioner couples in a similar way. It finds that for recently retired pensioner couples, the PC could be claimed at some point in retirement. In future the age at which the middle income pensioner couples become entitled to PC will gradually drop to 65 as means-testing becomes payable at relatively higher income levels.

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