State pensioners who are single can get free £227 payment every week
State pensioners who live alone and are single could be handed payments worth HUNDREDS from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ). Single pensioners with a total weekly income of less than £227 or £346 for couples could be entitled to Pension Credit.
DWP has also confirmed the minimum guarantee for Pension Credit - the minimum amount that someone on Pension Credit will receive - increased on April 7 as part of the annual benefits uprating exercise.
This means that eligible single pensioners will see a rise from £218.15 to £227.10 each week while couples will see an increase from £332.95 to £346.60. DWP also confirmed that Pension Credit is now worth on average £4,300 a year.
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Single pensioners with a total weekly income of less than £227.10, or £346.60 for couples (combined total), could be entitled to Pension Credit.
The DWP recently confirmed that nearly 78 per cent of all new claims for Pension Credit are processed - from initial application to award decision letter - within the target timeframe of 50 working days. This means older people on a low income making a new claim this month, especially those living on their own, could receive their first payment and any arrears by mid-June.
Pension Credit is the most under-claimed benefit and is specifically aimed at providing additional financial support for older people on a low income - singles and couples.
Nearly 1.4 million older people across Great Britain, including more than 125,000 living in Scotland, are currently receiving the means-tested benefit that could provide an average of £4,300 in extra support during them2025/26 financial year.
Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for the means-tested benefit, however, an award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support. Below is everything you need to know about the benefit.
When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together.
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