Millions of people will be encouraged to check if they qualify for an annual income top-up worth more than £3,500 under a new plan from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The DWP has said it will write to pensioners across the UK in the new year, as part of the annual uprating of State Pension, advising them about the new payment rates.
DWP Minister Laura Trott MP indicated on Monday that the accompanying leaflet has been updated to help promote Pension Credit and will include messaging from this year’s campaign to encourage take-up of the benefit which can be a passport to additional help with housing, heating and Council Tax, the Daily Record reports.
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Ms Trott said that an additional £1.8m has been approved for marketing activity until the end of this financial year, on April 5. Some 149,579 Pension Credit claims were received by DWP between April and October this year with 118,598 of those now processed.
DWP has also reassigned the full time equivalent of 100 colleagues and recruited 85 temporary staff to process the increased levels of Pension Credit claims following a successful UK-wide awareness campaign in June.
Ms Trott said: “In the new year, DWP will again write to over 11 million pensioners as part of the annual uprating of State Pension. The accompanying leaflet has been updated to include this year’s campaign messaging promoting Pension Credit. Further spend of £1.8m has been approved for marketing activity until the end of this financial year.”
A new claim for Pension Credit which later turns out to be successful will also qualify for the £900 means-tested cost of living payment and the £300 pensioner cost of living payment in 2023/24. Pension Credit claimants may also be eligible for the annual Winter Fuel Payment next year which has already seen 11.6 million households across the UK receive up to £600 help with the additional cost of heating bills.
During his Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that Pension Credit will increase by 10.1% from April. This is on top of a 10.1% increase to State Pension, means-tested and disability benefits delivered by DWP.
People can check their eligibility for Pension Credit using the online calculator or by calling the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234.
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