Member Article

Seek free guidance on pension freedoms

One in four people seeking guidance on their pensions is also asking for help on other issues such as help managing money, benefits and debt, says Darlington Citizens Advice.

Research from national Citizens Advice shows people are not thinking about their pension options in isolation.

The local charity is encouraging people aged over 50 in Darlington, Durham, Tees Valley and East Cleveland to book a free Pension Wise appointment. This will help them make sense of their pension options and learn about how this can fit into other aspects of their lives.

More than a quarter of people who had a face to face Pension Wise appointment in England and Wales also booked a Citizens Advice appointment for help on other issues including: benefits and tax credits (42 per cent), financial capability including help managing money (29 per cent), debt (14 per cent) and employment (four per cent).

Neeraj Sharma, chief executive at Darlington Citizens Advice, said: “People consider all aspects of their lives when making decisions around their pensions. They think about how their choices might affect their tax, debt and how they wish to support their family.

“At Darlington Citizens Advice we are can help people make sense of the complicated pensions world and signpost them to any extra guidance they may need to help make their decision easier.

“We encourage people over 50 to come along and visit us and book a free guidance session to help get to grips with their circumstances.”

Pension Wise can help you understand your pension options if you are over 50 and are not sure what your pension is.

Darlington Citizens Advice offers free face to face Pension Wise sessions which are tailored to the individual, taking into account the value of their pension and their plans for retirement.

To book a face to face Pension Wise appointment, you can visit Darlington Citizens Advice, phone 01325 01325 249833 or call 0300 330 1001.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Citizens Advice Darlington .