As the Cost of Living crisis continues, The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says extra financial support is available to households. It is now urging Brits to check what they are eligible for and asking family members to check if relatives are missing out on an income boost that could be worth £3,300 a year.
Older relatives could be eligible for Pension Credit and the government department says that a new interactive Pension Credit claim form has been introduced to help even more people over 66 claim for the extra support. It is understood that a new claim for Pension Credit could be processed in as little as 40 days meaning the extra financial support could arrive by October when energy bills are set to skyrocket.
The price cap is set to nearly double from £1,971 to £3,54 and could reach more than £5,600 by the start of next year, according to latest estimates. The DWP took to social media platform Twitter to get its message across.
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The DWP’s official Twitter account posted: "Could someone in your family be eligible for and missing out on #PensionCredit? Talk to them about checking their eligibility online today or call 0800 99 1234." An accompanying image asked the question: "Do you have family over State Pension age?"
A successful claim for Pension Credit acts as a ‘passport’ to other financial support including Council Tax reductions, help with housing and mortgage payments, discounted NHS treatments and free TV Licences for the over-75s. According to a report in Lancs Live, figures released by the DWP indicate £1.7 billion is being left unclaimed by around 850,000 pensioners across the UK.
One of the quickest ways to find out if you are eligible, and how much extra you could potentially be paid every week, is to use the Pension Credit calculator on the GOV.UK website, here. The DWP introduced the new interactive Pension Credit claim form to help more people over 66 claim the support worth around £3,300 on average each year. It can be completed online, downloaded and posted to the Pension Service and could be useful for those who cannot claim the benefit online or over the phone as progress on the 24-page application form can be saved and completed at a later time.
To find out more about this click here. It could also help more people complete the application process for an older family member or someone who does not have access to the internet.
Pension Credit explained
Pension Credit currently gives 1.4 million people across the UK extra money to help with living costs if they are over State Pension age and on a low income. Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for any Pension Credit, but the DWP said hundreds of thousands could be missing out on the extra money and discounts it provides every month.
A gateway to other help you could get
If you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:
- Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
- Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
- Council Tax discount
- Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
- Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
- Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
- A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house
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