MARTIN Lewis has issued an urgent warning to hundreds of thousands of pensions missing out on a major cash boost.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) is urging pensioners to check if they qualify for pension credit.
The benefit is worth £1,000s and you must claim it to qualify for this year’s £300 winter fuel payment.
In the latest MSE Newsletter, Martin said: “We’ve long urged all lower-income pensioners to check if they’re due pension credit.
“Now it’s even more important. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the up to £300 annual winter fuel payment currently given to all pensioners in England and Wales will be restricted to only those on means-tested benefits – the main one for over-66s being Pension Credit.
“Yet there are 800,000 over state pension age who are eligible but don’t claim.”
Pension credit tops up your living costs if you’re over the state pension age and on a low income.
It can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges.
This is a separate to your state pension and you can qualify for the scheme even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.
Martin said: “You can check if you’re due Pension Credit via web or phone.
“So don’t stall, just call. We say call, but try www.gov.uk/pension-credit first if you can.
“If not, call the helpline on 0800 99 1234 (Nortehrn Ireland 0808 100 6165).”
Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.
If your income is lower than this, you should be eligible for the benefit.
You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
You could get the “savings credit” part of pension credit if both of the following apply:
This part of pension credit is worth £17.01 for single people or £19.04 for couples.
Pension credit opens the door to other support, including housing benefits, cost of living payments, council tax reductions and the winter fuel payment.
YOU can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age.
Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you’ll need to be with them when they do.
You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:
If you claim after you reach pension age, you can backdate your claim for up to three months.
Martin said: “Pension Credit has a superpower… it’s a gateway entitlement triggering many other boons.
“If you’re entitled to the guarantee credit element, this also entitles you to a host of other state protections, including – as we’ve already discussed – the winter fuel payment.
Aorund 10million pensioners will no longer be eligible for winter fuel payments as part of cuts made by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The £300 government handout was previously available to everyone aged above 66 and helped with pricey energy costs.
However, Ms Reeves said on Monday that the cash would only be given to retirees on pension credit, or other means-tested benefits.
But claims for pension credit also open doors to further discounts.
For example, pension credit claimants over the age of 75 qualify for a free TV licence worth up to £169.50 a year.
Claims for the benefit also provide eligibility to £25 a week cold weather payments and the £150 warm home discount.
We have a guide on all the state pension freebies and discounts you can get.
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
