The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is making a direct appeal to hundreds of thousands of state pensioners across the UK, urging them to claim a significant weekly income boost they may be missing. This comes as new analysis reveals a stark postcode lottery, with pensioners in regions like the South West far less likely to claim the support they are entitled to.
The £83 Weekly Lifeline
At the heart of this drive is Pension Credit, a benefit designed to top up the income of pensioners on a lower income. The DWP highlights that this support is worth an average of £83 per week. Over the course of a full year, this amounts to a substantial financial boost of approximately £4,300, a sum that could be transformative for many households struggling with the ongoing high cost of living.
Morgan Vine, the director of policy and influencing at the charity Independent Age, emphasised the urgency: "With the continued high cost of living, the older people that we speak to cannot afford to miss out on any of the money they are eligible for."
A Stark Regional Divide
Newly published figures expose a concerning geographical disparity in the uptake of Pension Credit. The analysis shows that in the South West of England, just over half of those believed to be eligible are actually claiming the benefit.
This contrasts sharply with other parts of the country. In the North East, take-up rates are the highest in the nation at 71%. Meanwhile, in areas like the wider North and London, the claim rate sits between 60% and 70%.
"If you’re in financial hardship, where you live shouldn’t be a factor in whether or not you receive the money you’re entitled to, but at the moment, it is," added Ms Vine, highlighting the injustice of the situation.
Targeted Letters in New Trial
In a bid to bridge this gap, the DWP is launching a targeted trial. The department, in collaboration with charities Age UK and Independent Age, will be sending letters to 2,000 pensioners across England during December.
The recipients have been specifically identified through data analysis as being the most likely to qualify for Pension Credit but are not currently receiving it. This forms part of a wider, successful campaign which saw an additional 56,700 households awarded Pension Credit in the last year alone.
Initiatives like this trial are a positive step towards increasing the number of people receiving the financial support they are entitled to, and we urge the UK Government to continue building on this strategic approach," a spokesperson concluded.
