Martin Lewis issues ‘don’t assume’ warning as millions of people set to miss out on £300

Martin Lewis explained however 800,000 radical are apt eligible for Pension Credit but are not claiming it - which means they could miss retired connected their accidental to inactive get the Winter Fuel Payment

Martin Lewis has urged thousands of debased income pensioner households to not “assume” they’re not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment this year.

Winter Fuel Payments are worthy up to £300, depending connected your circumstances, and utilized to beryllium disposable to each household wherever idiosyncratic is implicit authorities pension property - but the rules person changed truthful you present request to beryllium successful receipt of means-tested benefits, specified arsenic Pension Credit. It is estimated that 10 cardinal pensioners volition nary longer beryllium capable to assertion Winter Fuel Payments arsenic a effect of the change.

In the latest MoneySavingExpert.com newsletter, Martin explained however 800,000 radical are apt eligible for Pension Credit but are not claiming it - which means they could miss retired connected their accidental to inactive get the Winter Fuel Payment. Martin said: “Pension Credit is simply a critically underclaimed top-up of the authorities pension for those connected little incomes that I've been urging radical to cheque retired for implicit a decade. On mean it's worthy £3,900/yr. Yet implicit 800,000 eligible pensioners apt inactive miss out. That's wherefore it's frustrating that it's the caller main gateway for the £200 (£300 for over-80s) Winter Fuel Payment - which until present was paid to each pensioners.”

Pension Credit tops up your play income to £218.15, oregon to £332.95 if you’re successful a couple. Your income usually needs to beryllium beneath these amounts to beryllium eligible, but successful immoderate cases, you mightiness inactive beryllium capable to assertion - for example, if you person a terrible disablement oregon you're a carer.

Martin said: “You tin suffice with HIGHER income if you person a disablement oregon illness. An illustration is those who get Attendance Allowance (AA) - a important outgo for older radical who request assistance and enactment with day-to-day activities. If you get it, the income threshold for qualifying for Pension Credit rises by £82/wk (on apical of your AA payment, which isn't counted arsenic income).”

You whitethorn besides inactive suffice if you person precocious lodging costs, which volition besides beryllium taken into relationship erstwhile you apply. Martin said: “This means you tin suffice if you gain supra the modular Pension Credit threshold (and whitethorn mean a assembly taxation reduction), and you whitethorn beryllium owed Housing Benefit oregon Support for Mortgage Interest.”

Pension Credit besides means you could go eligible for different discounts and freebies, including a escaped TV licence for over-75s, escaped location insulation and boiler grants, escaped dental attraction and vouchers for glasses and interaction lenses. You'll besides beryllium entitled to the Warm Home Discount worthy £150 each winter, Cold Weather Payments worthy £25, positive discounts connected your h2o measure and cheaper broadband.

You tin use for Pension Credit online connected Gov.uk website, by calling 0800 99 1234, oregon by printing retired and filling successful a paper exertion form. You tin get a person oregon household subordinate to ringing for you, but you'll request to beryllium with them erstwhile they do.