Martin Lewis issues message to all pensioners over winter fuel payments
MARTIN Lewis has issued a message to all pensioners over winter fuel payments.
The MoneySavingExpert (MSE) founder is urging households to check if they could be entitled to Pension Credit and unlock the winter fuel payment.
Pension Credit is a government benefit made up of two parts, with one designed to top up your weekly income to a minimum amount.
Ordinarily, you have to be earning under around £218 a week if you are single or roughly £333 a week if you are a couple to qualify.
However, you can still qualify if you earn over these amounts and meet certain other criteria like being on disability benefits, needing extra money to cover housing costs or having a certain amount of savings stashed away.
In the latest MSE newsletter, Martin is urging pensioners not to assume that they won’t qualify.
He said: “Pension Credit is a critically underclaimed top-up of the state pension for those on lower incomes that I’ve been urging people to check out for over a decade.
“On average it’s worth £3,900 a year. Yet over 800,000 eligible pensioners likely still miss out.”
Martin added that it’s more important than ever check your eligibility for pension credit because it qualifies you for the winter fuel payment.
This is because in July the Government announced that only those who claim Pension Credit will receive the Winter Fuel Allowance, which is worth up to £300 a year.
It comes after one Martin Lewis fan has revealed how a quick check helped her mother realise she was eligible for Pension Credit.
Those who claim are also entitled to a free TV licence, help with NHS dental treatment and glasses.
What is Pension Credit and who is eligible?
Pension Credit is a government benefit designed to top up your weekly income if you are a state pensioner and on a low income.
The current state pension age is 66.
There are two parts to the benefit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.
What will I get when I claim Pension Credit?
SOME people will receive thousands of pounds once they claim Pension Credit, while others will be given just pennies.
But it is still worth making a claim either way as it opens the door to more financial help.
Once you claim Pension Credit you may receive:
- Housing Benefit if you rent – worth thousands a year.
- Mortgage Interest support – on up to £100,000 of your mortgage or loan.
- Council tax discount – worth thousands each year.
- Free TV licence if you are aged over 75 – worth £169.50 a year.
- NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments help.
- Royal Mail redirection service discount – worth up to £48.
- Warm Home Discount if you get Guaranteed Pension Credit – worth £150.
- Cold Weather Payment – worth £25 for every seven day period of cold weather between November 1 and March 31.
- Winter Fuel Allowance – worth up to £300 a year.
Savings Credit is extra money you can get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic state pension amount – £169.50.
Savings Credit is only available to people who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016.
Usually, you only qualify for Pension Credit if your income is below the £218.15 or £332.95 thresholds.
However, you can sometimes be eligible for Savings Credit or Guarantee Credit depending on your circumstances.
For example, if you are suffering from a severe disability and claiming Attendance Allowance, as well as other benefits, you can get an extra £81.50 a week.
Meanwhile, you can get either £66.29 a week or £76.79 a week for each child you’re responsible and caring for.
The rules behind who qualifies for Pension Credit can be complicated, so the best thing to do is just check.
You can do this by using the Government’s Pension Credit calculator on its website.
Or, you can call the Pension Service helpline on 0800 99 1234 from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Those in Northern Ireland have to call the Pension Centre on 0808 100 6165 from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
It might be worth a visit to your local Citizens Advice branch too – its staff should be able to offer you help for free.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains all you need to know about the payment.
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.
Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.
Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you do meet the criteria but don’t automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.
You’ll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:
- you were born on or before September 23, 1958
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the “qualifying week”
- you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:
- you live in Switzerland or a EEA country
- you have a “genuine and sufficient” link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK
But there are exclusions – you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
You will also not qualify if you:
- are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole “qualifying week”
- lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
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