DWP reveals up to 760,000 families missing out on pension credit worth £3,900 a year – see if you can claim

HUNDRED of thousands of families are missing retired connected captious pension recognition payments worthy up to £3,900 annually, according to caller figures from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The latest statistic uncover that up to 760,000 families entitled to pension recognition did not assertion it during the fiscal twelvemonth ending successful 2023.

This is simply a flimsy betterment from the erstwhile twelvemonth erstwhile astir 870,000 families were eligible but didn’t instrumentality up the benefit.

Pension credit, a means-tested payment designed to apical up the income of the poorest pensioners, is becoming progressively important arsenic it is present linked to different important support.

In particular, those claiming pension recognition are eligible for the wintertime substance payment, which has go much restrictive pursuing caller authorities changes.

The payment goes to those who've reached State Pension age, which is presently 66, whose play income is little than £201.05 if you’re single, oregon £306.85 for couples.

Those who person a higher income whitethorn inactive beryllium eligible if they person a higher income but person others costs similar housing, a disability, oregon adjacent savings.

Claiming Pension Credit tin besides unlock other help, including, a escaped TV licence if you're implicit 75, assistance with assembly taxation and enactment with household costs specified arsenic crushed rent.

A surge successful pension recognition applications was observed aft Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced successful July that the wintertime substance outgo would lone beryllium disposable to pensioners receiving pension recognition oregon different means-tested benefits.

This change, aimed astatine addressing a £22billion shortage successful nationalist finances, is expected to trim the fig of recipients of the £300 wintertime substance allowance from 11.4million to conscionable 1.5million.

Despite the caller uptick successful claims, a staggering £1.5billion worthy of pension recognition went unclaimed past year.

This is simply a flimsy betterment from the £2billion near unclaimed successful the erstwhile year, but it highlights the ongoing contented of debased payment take-up among pensioners.

It comes arsenic thousands of Sun readers flooded our Winter Fuel SOS helpline yesterday looking for assistance to bent connected to the payment.

Figures from the DWP amusement that 65 per cent of those entitled to pension recognition claimed it successful 2023, up from 63 per cent successful 2022.

While the emergence is encouraging, campaigners reason that acold much needs to beryllium done to guarantee older radical person the fiscal assistance they’re entitled to.

Helen Morrissey, caput of status investigation astatine Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Boosting take-up of pension recognition has been a large occupation that has proven tricky to crack, with erstwhile campaigns being derailed by the pandemic.

However, determination are signs that advancement is being made, with take-up creeping up to 65 per cent from 63 per cent the erstwhile year."

Morrissey added that the caller absorption connected linking pension recognition to the wintertime substance outgo whitethorn thrust further increases successful applications.

She said: "The regularisation of the wintertime substance allowance to radical connected benefits specified arsenic pension recognition has garnered galore headlines, with radical urged to cheque if they tin enactment successful a claim."

However, she warned that the standard of the occupation remains significant.

She continued: "More than 750,000 families who could person pension recognition are inactive not claiming it."

"Pension recognition is simply a hugely invaluable payment that not lone tops up income but besides acts arsenic a gateway to different enactment specified arsenic a escaped TV licence for the over-75s arsenic good arsenic assistance with assembly tax."

With vigor bills acceptable to emergence again this winter, the wintertime substance outgo volition beryllium captious successful helping pensioners negociate their household costs.

Campaigners person urged those who deliberation they mightiness beryllium eligible to use for pension recognition arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Joanna Elson, main enforcement of Independent Age, described the figures arsenic "disappointing" and warned of the real-life consequences for those missing retired connected fiscal help.

Joanna said: "Behind these statistic are existent radical who are worrying astir whether they volition beryllium capable to spend adjacent month’s bills."

She added that the wintertime substance outgo should beryllium protected from means-testing to guarantee the astir susceptible pensioners don’t miss retired connected indispensable support.

Joanna continued: "To guarantee this radical don’t besides miss retired connected the wintertime substance payment, we proceed to telephone connected the UK Government to intermission their program to means trial the wintertime substance payment."

Campaigners reason that the existent attack to encouraging pension recognition claims isn’t capable and are calling for a much innovative, semipermanent strategy to scope those astir successful need.

With wintertime approaching, the unit is mounting to guarantee that pensioners don’t look fiscal hardship arsenic vigor prices soar.

For many, claiming pension recognition could supply a much-needed lifeline during the acold months ahead.

Meanwhile, wealth redeeming expert, Martin Lewis was seen clashing with authorities curate Lisa Nandy implicit the Winter Fuel Payment determination that volition impact millions of pensioners.