UK. DWP urging almost a million people to claim extra £67 each week
People are being urged to claim extra benefits worth about £67 a week from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). X (formerly Twitter ) was used to send out an alert regarding benefits and pensions on Wednesday.
As part of its efforts to encourage people to check if they are eligible for financial support worth thousands of pounds each year, the DWP continues to urge people to do so. A post from its official account said: “Don’t miss out on #PensionCredit. Around 1.4m households are already claiming. Check your eligibility and apply online today. #HelpForHouseholds.
TeesideLive wrote that the DWP previously said many do not claim the cash as they wrongly believe that because they have savings or own their own home they would not be eligible for Pension Credit. Almost a million people are currently missing out on the benefit.
Pension Credit is thought to be worth around £3,500 per year, or around £67 each week. It is often referred to as a “passport” benefit as once a person is claiming they can then get access to freebies and other money-saving schemes.
These can include:
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Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
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Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
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Council Tax discount
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Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
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Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
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Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
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A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house
Older people may wrongly think they are not eligible because they:
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have savings
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own their own home
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may be working
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may be getting a small occupational pension
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may have been turned down in the past
Other factors may be that they:
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do not want to be seen as needing to claim
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feel that they’re able to manage
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do not think it’s worth applying – as the amount they get will be very small
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do not recognise themselves as a Pension Credit claimant
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have not got around to it
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think it’s a complex and confusing subject
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already get other help and do not want to mess up the benefits they are getting
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. You can find out more about Pension Credit on GOV.UK
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