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Daily Record
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
New calls for national strategy to tackle pensioner poverty and set minimum retirement income
The Work and Pensions Committee is also calling for a Pension Credit take-up strategy by the end of this year. Pension Credit – Could you or someone you know be eligible? The Work and Pensions Committee has called for a national strategy to tackle pensioner poverty. The cross-party groups of MPs also said the UK Government should decide on - and ensure - a minimum level of retirement income. It added that once set, a plan should be created for everyone to reach that level. The Committee said that given that the State Pension is the core of the Labour Government's offer to pensioners, a guiding principle should be that it provides the amount needed for a 'minimum, dignified, socially acceptable standard of living'. It called for a commitment to a UK-wide, cross-government strategy for an ageing society that it said would help target support to tackle pensioner poverty. The Pensioner Poverty report warned that if it does not effectively tackle poverty as one of the causes of ill-health, 'the Government will not be able to achieve its goal of building a health and social care service that is sustainable'. The report also highlighted longer-term trends that 'threaten to undermine pension adequacy', such as people renting into later life. The committee also called for a Pension Credit take-up strategy for England by the end of 2025. The Committee said that despite being worth an average of £4,300 a year, the take-up of Pension Credit has hovered between 61 per cent and 66 per cent for a decade, with an estimated 700,000 households being eligible but not claiming. A taper to Pension Credit should also be considered to 'mitigate the cliff-edge effect' for those who currently miss out, the report said. Under current rules, some State Pensioners just above income thresholds could end up worse off than those with slightly lower incomes, it added. A successful claim for Pension Credit - even if it's just £1 per week - can unlock access to other support including help with housing costs, heating bills, Council Tax and a free TV licence for the over-75s. How to check eligibility for Pension Credit Older people, or friends and family, can quickly check their eligibility and get an estimate of what they may receive by using the online Pension Credit calculator on here. Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 - lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The Committee argued that reliance on top-ups such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit is not sufficient to ensure people do not fall below the poverty line. The report said: 'After a decline in pensioner poverty in the 2000s, the number of pensioners in relative low income started to rise again from 2010. This has been exacerbated by increases in the cost of living since 2021.' It continued: 'The number of people of pension age living in relative poverty (below 60% of median income) is 1.9 million or 16 per cent of pensioners. 'Measures which factor in the cost of living show that between 2008/09 and 2022/23, the number of pensioners in households below the Minimum Income Standard (MIS) - the amount needed for a minimum dignified socially acceptable standard of living - rose from 1.5 to 2.8m. 'The proportion of pensioners below 75 per cent of MIS (where the risk of material deprivation increases substantially) rose from 5.9 per cent in 2021/22 to 9.5 per cent in 2022/23. 'In practice, this means cutting back on essentials, like food, energy use and seeing friends, in an attempt to manage costs. Health experts explained the implications for health. Financial hardship can accelerate the ageing process, making it more likely that an older person will enter hospital or need care.' The Committee said that in some places, organisations are working together towards shared objectives. The report continued: 'However, not all areas do this. We heard that it would help to have a national cross-government strategy for our ageing society and older people. 'This could provide a framework to hold the different partners to account for their role in delivering the agreed outcomes. It could also ensure that central government departments developed policy with shared objectives in mind.' Committee chairwoman Debbie Abrahams said: 'To boost incomes, the Government needs to come up with a strategy to increase Pension Credit take-up. It's a scandal that so many have missed out for so many years, often through an aversion to claiming benefits altogether, or lack of support. 'The fairness of the Pension Credit eligibility criteria where if you are a penny above the threshold, you miss out on thousands of pounds, also needs to be looked at. 'Ultimately, the Government should decide what it thinks is enough for a dignified retirement, and then work to ensure that all pensioners are on at least that level. 'Faced with a combination of high energy costs, ill-health and ever higher rates of pensioners in more costly privately rented accommodation, tackling pensioner poverty is not simply a DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) issue. So, we're calling for a nationwide, cross-government strategy for an ageing society that should be rooted in equity and wellbeing.' Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson CBE, said: 'The Work and Pension's Committee has highlighted the urgent truth; the UK needs a strategic approach to tackle pensioner poverty. With millions of older people living in financial hardship, now is the time for action. 'The older people Independent Age speaks to are living on desperately small incomes, forcing them to make drastic cutbacks. They are going to bed in hats and coats, eating one small meal a day and washing less to save on water. This is not right. 'We warmly welcome the Committee's recommendations and are pleased to have contributed to this important inquiry, alongside the many people in later life who shared their views directly with the Committee. The voices of older people have been heard throughout this inquiry and the tangible and impactful recommendations speak to the changes older people in poverty need to see now and in the future.' She added: 'Our own research highlights the importance of people having an adequate income in later life, particularly those reliant on just the State Pension and social security system. Also essential is that everyone receives the financial entitlements they are eligible for, and that policies are in place to support people on a low income to pay their rent and household bills. 'We have also long campaigned for an independent Commissioner for Older People and are pleased to see the Committee recognise the need for this role.' Earlier this week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that a review into raising the State Pension age is needed to ensure the system is 'sustainable and affordable'. The UK Government review is due to report in March 2029 and Ms Reeves said it was 'right' to look at the age at which people can receive the State Pension as life expectancy increases. The State Pension age is currently 66, but is set to start rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028. A Government spokesperson told the PA news agency: 'Supporting pensioners is a top priority, and thanks to our commitment to the triple lock, millions will see their yearly state pension rise by up to £1,900 by the end of this parliament. 'We have also run the biggest-ever campaign to boost pension credit take-up, with nearly 60,000 extra pensioner households being awarded the benefit, worth on average around £4,300 a year. 'But we know there is a real risk that tomorrow's pensioners will be poorer than today's, which is why we are reviving the Pension Commission, to tackle the barriers that stop too many people from saving.'
The Sun
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Grandparents can slash TV Licence bill to £0 in just 16 minutes – check if you're eligible
GRANDPARENTS can slash their TV Licence bill to £0 and unlock thousands of pounds in free cash in just 16 minutes. A TV Licence costs £174.50 a year, £5 up from £169.50 before April, but you can get a 100% discount through a Government benefit. 1 Pension Credit is paid to state pensioners on low incomes and is designed to top up your weekly income to a minimum level. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says the average claim is worth £3,900 and it takes just 16 minutes to apply for the benefit online. But Pension Credit also opens up a host of other perks including help with housing costs, council tax and a free TV Licence. You can get a free TV Licence if you're 75 or older, and you or your partner are receiving the benefit. If you're already on Pension Credit, you can apply for a free licence when you are 74. You have to pay for your licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday but are covered by your free licence after this. If you have paid for a TV Licence then qualified for Pension Credit, you may be able to get a refund on any remaining months on your current paid-for licence. This is processed when you apply. You can apply for a free TV Licence via - If you already have a TV Licence, sign in and apply for your free one via the link on this page. Could you be eligible for Pension Credit? If you don't have a TV Licence currently and are already on Pension Credit, you can apply for a new one via the link on this same page. You can also call 0300 790 6117 and speak to someone between 8.30am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday. If you claim a free TV Licence through Pension Credit you can't claim another one for a second home. What is Pension Credit? Pension Credit is means-tested meaning your income is taken into account when deciding whether you qualify. It is designed to top up the incomes of those of state pension age and older. Take-up has surged since a Government drive to get more claiming the benefit was launched last year. Figures published by the DWP in May revealed 321,000 applications were made in the 2024/25 financial year, an increase of 69,900 (28%) compared to 2023/24. It comes after the Government shook up the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment meaning only those on certain benefits including Pension Credit qualified. Ministers have since rowed back on this, meaning anyone with an income of £35,000 or less now qualifies. Pension Credit is split into two parts - Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level. This level is currently: £227.10 if you're single £346.60 if you're a couple Savings Credit is extra money for those with some savings or an income higher than the basic state pension. It's available to people who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016. You could get up to: £17.30 extra per week if you're single £19.36 extra per week if you're a couple Even if your weekly income is worth £227.10 or more if you're single or £346.60 or more if you're a couple, you may still qualify if your income is over these thresholds and: you're a carer you have a severe disability you have certain housing costs, such as service charges you're responsible for a child or young person who usually lives with you You can start a claim for Pension Credit up to four months before reaching state pension age. You can also apply any time after reaching state pension age but can only get payments backdated by three months. You'll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one before applying: National Insurance number information about any income, savings and investments you have information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually three months ago or the date you reached state pension age) You'll also need your bank account details. Depending on how you apply, you may also be asked for your bank or building society name, sort code and account number. You can apply via .
Daily Record
11-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
DWP urges specific group of older people to check for State Pension compensation
Adult Dependency Increases were extra amounts paid to pensioners who had a dependent spouse below State Pension age. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is inviting pensioners who lived abroad between April 6, 2010 and April 6, 2020, who feel they may have been 'adversely affected' by the ending of the State Pension Adult Dependency Increase (ADI), to contact them as they could be eligible for compensation. Adult Dependency Increases were extra amounts of money paid to State Pensioners who had a dependent spouse below State Pension age. No new claims for ADI were allowed over the 10-year period already mentioned (April 6, 2010 - April 6, 2020). The DWP informed people living in Great Britain and abroad that their ADI would be ending. However, earlier this year the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found that DWP did not communicate this information in a reasonable timeframe to people living abroad and that this was maladministration. The PHSO found no fault in the way DWP communicated with people living in Great Britain. DWP said: 'If you feel you were adversely affected by the removal of an ADI, due to when you received notification after 6 April 2010 that it was going to end, then you may be eligible for compensation.' The PHSO report said: 'The number of those who were living abroad and entitled to ADI is unknown but in May 2019, a year before ADI ended, DWP told Parliament that 10,817 people were still in receipt of ADI.' Commenting at the time of the published report in January, Rebecca Hilsenrath, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, said: 'Poor communication from Government departments damages trust in public services. 'DWP has a history of failing to communicate pension policy changes clearly and failing to learn from its mistakes.' Ms Hilsenrath highlighted the case of Adrian Furnival, 82, and his wife Sheila, 67, who moved to Brittany in 1994, however, Adrian found out in 2018 through the annual DWP uprating letter that from 2020 he would no longer receive Adult Dependency Increase payments. The PHSO said this meant he would be over £250 a month worse off. The Ombudsman added: 'In Adrian's case, this meant that, without the right information, he lost the opportunity to prepare for his retirement. It also caused him unnecessary financial worry. 'Anyone who believes they have had a similar experience to Adrian should contact DWP. DWP has complied with our recommendations and will provide a comparable remedy to anyone who approaches them with a similar situation.' Eligibility You may be entitled to a compensation payment if all the following apply: you received an ADI your ADI payments were stopped on April 6, 2020 you were living outside Great Britain for any period of time from April 6, 2010 to April 6, 2020 you are able to say how the timing of the notification about the removal of an ADI had an adverse impact on you What you need to do DWP guidance explains that you will need to contact the Department and provide the following information: your full name your date of birth your National Insurance number the date you moved abroad address(es) you were living at between April 6, 2010 and April 6, 2020 information about how you have been negatively affected by the timing of the notification Full details on how to contact the Pension Service can be found on here. You can also read the full guidance on ADI compensation on here.
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Attendance Allowance rules older people must know or £441 DWP payments could stop
Nearly 1.7 million State Pensioners receive either £73.90 or £110.40 each week on the non-means tested benefit from the DWP. The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there were nearly 1.7 million people across Great Britain receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance at the end of August last year. The data also indicates 150,000 people living in Scotland are now receiving either £73.90 or £110.40 each week after the annual uprating was applied last month. Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit, delivered by the DWP and designed to help older people with daily living expenses which could also help them stay independent in their own home for longer. However, many claimants may not be aware there are several changes in circumstances which must be reported to the DWP's Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122 as soon as possible - especially if your condition changes or you go into hospital - as they could affect entitlement or payments. DWP guidance on the website also warns: 'You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.' The guidance goes on to list changes claimants must report which are outlined below. Reporting a change in circumstances If your circumstances change, the amount you get from Attendance Allowance may go up or down. You must contact the Attendance Allowance helpline straight away if: the level of help you need or your condition changes - you'll need to provide details like if the amount of times you need help each day has changed you go into hospital or a care home - you'll need to provide the address, the dates you've been there for, and how your stay is paid for a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live you plan to leave the country for more than 4 weeks you go into prison you change your name, address or bank details you want to stop receiving your benefit your doctor's details change your immigration status changes, if you're not a British citizen If you're not sure if a change affects your Attendance Allowance benefit, it's worthwhile contacting the DWP to check - full details on here. It's also important to be aware DWP guidance states if your circumstances change, the amount you get from Attendance Allowance may go up or down. Reporting a change if you need more help You should consider contacting the DWP to report a change if you feel you need more help for a disability or illness. This could be additional help or supervision throughout the day or at times during the night -even if you do not currently get that help. This could include: Help with your personal care - for example getting dressed, eating or drinking, getting in and out of bed, bathing or showering and going to the toilet Help to stay safe You should also consider reporting a change if you are experiencing more difficulties completing personal tasks, for example if they take you a long time, you experience pain or you need physical help, like a chair to lean on. But remember, Attendance Allowance is not just for people with a physical disability or illness. You should also consider reporting a change if you need more help or supervision throughout the day or night and have: a mental health condition learning difficulties a sensory condition - if you are deaf or blind You can contact the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122, Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Full details about reporting a change can be found on the website here. There are more than 50 physical or mental health conditions being supported by Attendance Allowance and even if you're already claiming for one of these, another may have developed or your current condition may have become more debilitating. Health issues supported by Attendance Allowance Support is also provided for People who are terminally ill. Arthritis Spondylosis Back Pain – Other / Precise Diagnosis not Specified Disease of The Muscles, Bones or Joints Trauma to Limbs Blindness Deafness Heart disease Chest disease Asthma Cystic Fibrosis Cerebrovascular Disease Peripheral vascular Disease Epilepsy Neurological Diseases Multiple Sclerosis Parkinson's Motor Neurone Disease Chronic Pain Syndromes Diabetes Mellitus Metabolic Disease Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia Major Trauma Other than Traumatic Paraplegia/Tetraplegia Learning Difficulties Psychosis Psychoneurosis Personality Disorder Dementia Behavioural Disorder Alcohol and Drug Abuse Hyperkinetic Syndrome Renal Disorders Inflammatory Bowel Disease Bowel and Stomach Disease Blood Disorders Haemophilia Multi System Disorders Multiple Allergy Syndrome Skin Disease Malignant Disease Severely Mentally impaired Double Amputee Deaf/Blind Haemodialysis Frailty Total Parenteral Nutrition AIDS How much could I get on Attendance Allowance? From April 7, you could receive £73.90 (lower rate) if you need help during the day or at night or £110.40 (higher rate) if you need help during the day and at night, or if you are terminally ill. The benefit is paid every four weeks , which means you could receive either £295.60 or £441.60 every pay period. You can spend the money however you like and it could help you stay independent in your own home for longer. This might include: paying for taxis helping towards bills paying for a cleaner or gardener Can I claim Attendance Allowance even if I have savings and other income? Yes. Attendance Allowance isn't means-tested so it doesn't matter what other money you have coming in or how much you have in savings either - there's no limit. it is also tax-free and you will be exempt from the Benefit Cap so you won't have money taken away from any other benefits. Will Attendance Allowance affect my State Pension? No, it won't affect your State Pension and you can even claim it if you're still working and earning money. How does Attendance Allowance affect other benefits? The other benefits you get might increase if you get Attendance Allowance, these include: Extra Pension Credit Housing Benefit Reduction Council Tax Reduction Full guidance on Attendance Allowance can be found on here.
Wales Online
16-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
DWP update as almost half a million State Pensioners receive payment boost
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info State Pensioners over a certain age have seen a modest increase in their payments, with the UK Government confirming in Parliament the additional 25p weekly sum awarded to those on the basic State Pension when they reach 80. Those born in 1944 or earlier, as well as individuals who have turned 80 this year and are on the basic State Pension, are entitled to this slight boost. The extra payment for people in their 80s was first introduced in 1971. At that time, the State Pension stood at £6 per week, making the 25p rise a notable 4% increase. In today's terms, it amounts to an annual uplift of just £13. Despite the passage of time, ministers have not raised the additional payment since its inception, akin to the static £10 Christmas Bonus that pensioners receive during the holiday season, which has also remained unchanged since 1971. Labour MP Jonathan Davies questioned the total administrative cost of the 25p increase and whether it surpasses the amount actually given to beneficiaries. Pensions minister Torsten Bell assured that the 25p age addition is "simple to administer", stating: "Payments are made automatically as part of the person's ongoing State Pension entitlement. The administration costs are therefore negligible," reports Kent Live. However, the minister acknowledged that some expenses are incurred by the DWP in informing individuals approaching their 80th birthday about the modest pay increase. Mr Bell said: "In 2024, 474,239 letters were issued to inform people that they were now entitled to the age addition, costing £278,030 in printing and postage. "In 2024/2025, the annual cost of the 25p age addition to the State Pension for those eligible 80+ is estimated to be £50.8million. Administrative costs therefore do not exceed the total amount paid." A research briefing issued by Parliament in 2013 about the extra 25p explained the thinking behind the policy: "Pensioners aged 80 and over receive an addition of 25 pence to their State Pension. The age addition was introduced in 1971, in recognition of 'the special claims of very elderly people who on the whole need help rather more than others'. "It has never been uprated, with successive Governments either arguing that greater priority should be given to protecting the level of the basic benefits, or choosing to target additional resources at older pensioners by other means, for example, through means-tested benefits or lump sum payments, such as the Winter Fuel Payment." State pensioners received a 4.1% increase to their payments from April in line with the triple lock. This increased the full basic state pension from £169.50 a week to £176.45 a week. To receive the full basic State Pension, you generally need 30 years of National Insurance contributions. The full new State Pension now stands at £230.25 a week, up from £221.20 a week since April. You can find out your projected State Pension amount using the State Pension forecast tool on the Government's website. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find out what's happening near you
