The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently announced plans to continue encouraging more than 11 million older people to check if they qualify for an annual income top-up worth over £3,500. This is part of an ongoing awareness campaign to encourage more pensioners on a low income to check if they are entitled to additional financial help through Pension Credit.
In addition to the printed campaign which began in April 2022, DWP has also introduced a new interactive Pension Credit claim form which can be completed online, downloaded and posted to the Pension Service. This 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 - find out more about this here.
A successful claim for Pension Credit acts as a ‘gateway’ 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. Even if the financial award isn't great, just one penny is enough to unlock other support, including cost of living payments.
