A successful new claim for Pension Credit can unlock access to Winter Fuel Payments, help with housing costs and Council Tax. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that 880,000 pensioner households may be entitled to an average annual income boost of £3,900, but do not claim it as they wrongly believe that because they have savings or own their own home they would not be eligible for Pension Credit. Pension Credit can provide a top-up for single people on the New State Pension who have a total weekly income below £218.
15, or couples with a combined weekly income of less than £332.95. Similarly, people over 65 who reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, may still qualify for Pension Credit if their weekly income is less than £260.
68 for singles, or £380.55 for married couples or those in a civil partnership. To receive this year’s Winter Fuel Payment of up to £300, older people need to be in receipt of a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit.
There are currently 1.4 million people receiving additional financial support through Pension Credit, including over 125,000 living in Scotland. The DWP aims to break down barriers to claiming and busts some of the most common myths people may have to encourage them to think again about applying.
Older people may wrongly think they are not eligible because they: Other factors may be that they: Having listed some of the main reasons people of State Pension age may be put off from claiming Pension Credit.