Local Council Contacting DM83 Advising her to Apply for PC

[Icequeen01]

My DM83 was contacted by our local Council and advised to apply for Pension Credit. I spoke to them in the end as DM can't take things in and they said that according to their records DM might be eligible for pension credit as she doesn't receive a full state pension. I told them that she does have another very small pension but they said even taking that into account it would be worth applying.

I took their advice and DM was awarded an extra £37 a week! I'm so grateful to the Council for ringing but have never heard of them phoning people to encourage them to apply for benefits before. Does anyone else's local council do this?

Blimey, why do they know so much about her finances in the first place?
Its good she’s getting extra though, she should also get a voucher towards glasses now if she gets pension credit.
Our council certainly haven’t phoned DM or PIL, although age concern helped PIL get attendance allowance. Is your DM eligible for that?

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/attendance-allowance/

Yes I was surprised they knew so much. They said they knew about her small pension as well which surprised me. It is a LGPS but with another council not where she lives currently.

She already gets attendance allowance but has only been getting it since April. I wonder if this is how they know so much about her although I can't remember putting any financial info on the form!

Has she applied for a reduction in Council Tax? Is she getting carers from the LA? Could this be how they know?

Aah yes, she already gets that and I do remember now I had to give details of her income so I think you are right, that’s where they will have hit her info.