Pensioners encouraged to check state benefit entitlement

Pensioners have been urged to find out what state benefits they could be entitled to.

According to research by Just Group, four in 10 (40%) retired homeowners have never checked if they’re eligible for support other than their state pension.

Figures also showed that just 29% of pensioner homeowners have checked their benefit entitlement in the last year.

Notably, retirees who live in rented housing were found to be more actively checking what support they could get.

Just 15% of renters said they have never checked what extra benefits they could claim, while 44% had done so in the last year.

Nevertheless, that still means a huge number aren’t finding out what support they could be eligible to receive, even though it could make a big difference.

Pensioners ‘missing out on thousands of pounds a year’

Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, described the findings as “concerning”.

“Many are missing out on thousands of pounds every year in unclaimed benefits,” he said.

“We encourage all pensioners - whether homeowners or not - not to assume they are ineligible for support.”

Government encouraging people to apply for pension credit

The findings come after a government campaign to raise awareness of pension credit and encourage eligible people to apply.

Pension credit provides people on low incomes who are over state pension age with extra money to help with living costs, as well as help them access other benefits including winter fuel payments.

So far, the campaign has led to an increase in applications, and the government is now looking at other ways of reaching people entitled to this support.

Among the options being considered are:

• writing to pensioners who make a new claim for housing benefit who appear to be entitled to pension credit
• researching what factors encourage people to apply and what’s stopping them
• working across departments including HMRC to identify pensioners who might be eligible for pension credit

Don’t miss out 

If you’re not sure if you qualify for pension credit and other state benefits, we can help.

You can either give us a ring and we’ll check for you, or use our free benefits calculator to see what support you could get.