State pensioners are being urged to check if they are eligible for Pension Credit which can boost income by up to £3,500 a year.
Tens of thousands of older Britons are thought to be missing out on the extra cash as bills increase from this month, including energy bills, water bills and broadband and mobile.
The benefit also provides access to several other support systems with council tax discounts, free TV licences for claimants aged 75 and over and help with heating bills.
Pension Credit tops up a person’s weekly income to £201.05 per week for single claimants and up to £306.85 per week for couples.
The benefit also provides access to several other support systems
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Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, recently encouraged Britons to check to see if they are eligible.
“If you are a state pensioner earning under £220 a week as a single state pensioner, or a couple of state pensioners earning in total under £320 a week, you should absolutely check this out," he told listeners on his BBC podcast.
“Either go online and do it, or ring the Pension Credit hotline.
“Don’t worry if you think you might not be eligible. They might tell you that you aren’t.”
Depending on the situation, people can get additional payments on top of the weekly top up, for example if they care for another adult.
A Pension Credit claimant may also be able to get other help, including: housing benefit if they rent the property, support for mortgage interest if they own the property they live in, council tax discount and free TV licence if they are aged 75 or over.
Claimants can also seek help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments and with heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme as well as receiving a discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if they are moving house.
Any couples where one person is of working age and the another is retired, they will not be able to claim.
Depending on the situation, people can get additional payments on top of the weekly top up
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Those hoping to claim can find out how much Pension Credit they can receive using a calculator tool on the Government website.
People can put in a claim for Pension Credit up to four months before they reach state pension age.
Pension Credit and the state pension recently increased by 10.1 percent, with the full new state pension now at £203.85 per week while the full basic state pension pays £185.15 a week.
