The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that more than 1,000 Ukrainian pensioners who recently arrived in the UK after fleeing the Russian invasion are already receiving financial support through Pension Credit, new figures show.
The figures follow emergency regulations laid by the DWP in March this year which enabled Ukrainians to immediately access benefits and other support as soon as they arrived in the UK.
As well as help with daily living costs of up to £182.60 per week for single people and £278.70 for couples, Pension Credit also opens up access to other support, such as help with rent and Council Tax, heating bills, free NHS dental care and free TV licenses for the over-75s.
Minister for Pensions Guy Opperman said: “Our priority is ensuring those arriving from Ukraine can find safety here and get the support they need.
“Pension Credit provides a vital financial boost which is why we’re helping new arrivals apply, with translation services available for phone applications.
“I urge those hosting elderly Ukrainians - and all those across the country with older relatives and friends - to check with them and see if they could be eligible for this extra financial assistance.”
To be eligible for Pension Credit, people need to be over State Pension age and on a low income.
More than 1.4 million people across the UK are currently receiving the benefit, including 131,600 living in Scotland, and the DWP said take-up is at its highest level since 2010.
The DWP recently launched a campaign to boost take-up of Pension Credit with the aim of encouraging more older people to claim and prompting others to speak to their retired friends and loved ones about the support available.
The easiest way for Ukrainian nationals to apply for Pension Credit is by phone and the Department has made translation services available to help new arrivals with their applications. The Freephone number is 0800 99 1234 and is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
DWP staff are also delivering additional face-to-face assistance to those who need it, including advice on benefit eligibility and support with online applications.
Online Pension Credit calculator
One of the quickest ways to find out if you or someone you know is eligible for pension Credit, and how much extra you could potentially be paid every week, is to use the Pension Credit calculator on the GOV.UK website, here.
How to use the Pension Credit calculator
To use the calculator, you will need details of:
earnings, benefits and pensions
savings and investments
You’ll need the same details for your partner if you have one.
Who cannot use the Pension Credit calculator?
You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner:
are deferring your State Pension
own more than one property
are self employed
have housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit
How to make a claim
You can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age.
You can claim any time after you reach State Pension age but your claim can only be backdated for three months.
This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.
You will need:
your National Insurance number
information about your income, savings and investments
your bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by post
If you’re backdating your claim, you’ll need details of your income, savings and investments on the date you want your claim to start.
Apply online
You can use the online service if:
you have already claimed your State Pension
there are no children or young people included in your claim
To check your entitlement, phone the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator here to find out how much you could get.
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