Pension Credits

DWP describe Pension Credit (PC) as available to people aged 60 or over on a low income and made up of two elements - the 'Guarantee Credit' element and the 'Savings Credit' element (which may be payable from age 65). The Guarantee Credit element guarantees everyone aged 60 and over a minimum weekly income. The Savings Credit element rewards people aged over 65 for saving for their retirement.

Figure 1: Pension Credits Claimants (November 2003 to February 2011 )

*Relevant population is the population of any relevant qualifying age group described above.

Despite incomes in Highland being less than the Scotland average the number of people of people of pensionable age in Highland receiving PC is lower, 19.2%, than the Scotland average of 22.9 % and the Great Britain average of 19.5%.

Pension Credits Claimants by Multi-Member Wards ( February 2011 )

There is a wide variation in the number of people in each ward receiving PC with some wards having three times as many claimants as others. The wards with the highest number of people receiving PC are Inverness Central (30.7%), Cromarty Firth (28.6%) and Wick (25.8%) while the lowest are Inverness South (9.6%) and Inverness Ness Side (12.7%).

Ward No	Ward Name	All Pension Credits Claimants	% of Population aged over 60 claiming Pension Credits
1	North, West and Central Sutherland	355	19.5
2	Thurso	350	17.6
3	Wick	420	25.8
4	Landward Caithness	540	18.1
5	East Sutherland and Edderton	550	20.0
6	Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh	580	17.0
7	Cromarty Firth	795	28.6
8	Tain and Easter Ross	550	22.5
9	Dingwall and Seaforth	625	20.4
10	Black Isle	345	12.9
11	Eilean a' Cheò	570	20.8
12	Caol and Mallaig	480	23.5
13	Aird and Loch Ness	430	16.1
14	Inverness West	425	21.2
15	Inverness Central	945	30.7
16	Inverness Ness-Side	335	12.7
17	Inverness Millburn	240	13.9
18	Culloden and Ardersier	355	15.6
19	Nairn	605	18.6
20	Inverness South	205	9.6
21	Badenoch and Strathspey	585	16.2
22	Fort William and Ardnamurchan	625	21.6
	Highland	10,870	19.2
Source: Department for Work and Pensions data from NOMIS

Pension Credits Claimants by Local Authority ( February 2011 )

Glasgow has the highest rate (40.5%) and East Dunbartonshire the lowest (13.7%). All authorities saw a decrease in PC claims over the last 12 months.

Local Authority	Claimants	% of population aged over 60 claiming Pension Credits	% change in claims over last 12 months
Aberdeen City	7,810	17.8	-3.8
Aberdeenshire	8,400	15.1	-3.6
Angus	5,910	19.6	-1.5
Argyll & Bute	4,710	18.1	-1.5
Clackmannanshire	2,350	20.8	-0.8
Dumfries & Galloway	8,790	20.0	-1.5
Dundee City	9,310	27.5	-3.4
East Ayrshire	7,750	26.8	-2.0
East Dunbartonshire	3,430	13.7	-2.8
East Lothian	4,350	18.6	-2.9
East Renfrewshire	2,930	13.7	-3.3
Edinburgh, City of	16,530	17.8	-2.4
Eilean Siar	2,300	30.6	-2.1
Falkirk	7,560	22.2	-2.1
Fife	16,210	18.6	-2.1
Glasgow City	43,810	40.5	-3.1
Highland	10,870	19.2	-1.5
Inverclyde	5,610	28.9	-4.1
Midlothian	3,440	18.3	-3.1
Moray	4,190	18.9	-1.9
North Ayrshire	8,700	25.4	-0.9
North Lanarkshire	20,990	31.0	-2.4
Orkney Islands	940	17.6	-3.1
Perthshire & Kinross	6,270	16.2	-1.4
Renfrewshire	9,700	25.1	-2.8
Scottish Borders	5,770	18.7	-2.2
Shetland Islands	890	17.1	-5.3
South Ayrshire	6,300	19.9	-1.9
South Lanarkshire	18,480	26.3	-0.9
Stirling	3,470	16.7	-2.0
West Dunbartonshire	6,430	31.6	-3.2
West Lothian	7,680	23.4	-1.5
Scotland	271,890	22.9	-2.4
United Kingdom	2,693,720	19.5	-1.5
Source: Department for Work and Pensions data from NOMIS