13 August 2024 , 20:45
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Charity Independent Age has warned a shake-up of winter fuel payments could be dangerous as new data suggests hundreds of thousands who are entitled to it could miss out
Hundreds of thousands of pensioners could wrongly miss out on winter fuel payments as they’re not claiming benefits they’re entitled to, campaigners warn.
Stark new figures reveal a small drop in the number of people receiving Pension Credit in the past year. Almost four in 10 of those entitled to the support aren’t claiming it, Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) data shows.
The Government has announced that only those receiving Pension Credit or means-tested benefits will get winter fuel payments in order to save cash. The shake-up was unveiled by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a raft of measures to tackle a £22billion black hole left by the Tories.
Pension Credit averages £3,900 a year, but in February the DWP said 880,000 people who are eligible didn’t claim it. Charity Independent Age estimates around 1.2 million older adults are impacted, including those who live with someone not claiming the credit.
Chief executive Joanna Elson said: "The low take-up numbers show that now is not the right time to make changes to the Winter Fuel Payment, it’s dangerous and puts older lives at risk." Ms Elson said that means-testing winter fuel payments from the Autumn doesn’t give enough time to significantly boost Pension Credit take-up.
She said: "Our helpline regularly hears from frightened older people making cutbacks and looking for support, and in the days following the Winter Fuel Payment announcement, there has been an increase in calls regarding Pension Credit and other entitlements."
The charity chief called for "swift action" to ensure all who are eligible claim the benefit. In its latest update the DWP said the number of Pension Credit claims was dropping due to the rise in the state pension age.
But it said that since February 2022 the caseload appears to have stabilised. Last week deputy PM Angela Rayner said: "There’s thousands of people who are eligible for Pension Credit that are not currently receiving it.
"So my plea to people who are listening it to check out whether you’re eligible for Pension Credit that won’t and those people will continue to get the winter fuel payment."
A DWP spokesman said: “We are making every effort to promote Pension Credit to ensure pensioners receive all the support to which they are entitled, working closely with Local Authorities and partners, reaching the many pensioners who could still benefit from this year’s Winter Fuel Payments.
“We urge anyone who thinks they may be entitled to Pension Credit to check now, and not delay.”