TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR OLDER PEOPLE TO QUALIFY FOR £650 COST-OF-LIVING PAYMENT

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR OLDER PEOPLE TO QUALIFY FOR £650 COST-OF-LIVING PAYMENT

Age UK Northumberland urges pensioners across Northumberland on a low income to put in a claim for pension credit now or risk missing out on £650 of extra help towards the cost of living this year.

Older people have until Thursday 18th August[i] to put in a claim for pension credit[ii] in order to qualify for the Government’s £650 cost-of-living payment.[iii] Age UK Northumberland is urging all older people who are struggling to make ends meet and who are not already in receipt of pension credit to put in a claim without delay, so they don’t risk missing out.

Announced as part of a support package in May, the government’s Cost of Living Payment will be paid to those in receipt of pension credit (and other qualifying benefits) in two lump sums of £326 and £324 – the first will be paid automatically between mid-end July and the second will be paid in the Autumn.

To be eligible for the first lump sum, older people must have been entitled to a pension credit payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) in the period 26 April – 25 May 2022. Because a successful application for pension credit can be backdated by three months, those who begin the claiming process before 18th August are guaranteed to meet the eligibility criteria.

As well as providing a much-needed income boost and automatically qualifying them for the government’s Cost of Living Payment, pension credit also opens the door to a wide range of additional support including:

A Cold Weather Payment of £25, paid automatically when the average temperature is 0°C or below over seven consecutive days

£140 off electricity bill thorough the Warm Home Discount Scheme (if eligible)

A free TV licence (if over-75)

Free NHS dental treatment and help towards the cost of glasses and travel to hospital

Help with Council Tax and rent

Cheaper phone and home broadband deals

Reduced water bills

An extra amount of pension credit for some carers worth up to £37.70 a week

Those in receipt of pension credit, which can be backdated up to three months, tops up the weekly income of a single pensioner to £182.60 or a pensioner couple to £278.70[iv], (or higher in some circumstances).  Pension Credit comes in two parts: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit and is separate from the State pension.

Despite the considerable financial benefits, a third (34 per cent) of pensioners eligible to claim pension credit are still missing out, which is a huge concern, especially as the cost of living continues to rise. The government’s own figures show that 770,000 eligible pensioner households (single people or couples) are not receiving their pension credit payments, worth around £1.5 billion every year[v] – an average of £1,900 a year, per household.

Amy Whyte, Chief Executive of Age UK Northumberland, said: “We urge anyone of pensionable age and on a low income to check whether they are be eligible to claim for Pension Credit and get their application in quickly in order to benefit from the government’s £650 cost-of-living payment this year.”

You can find out more about the benefits you may be entitled to at https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/benefits-calculator/.

To make a claim for pension credit, people should call the DWP pension credit claim line direct on 0800 99 1234 or visit www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim.  It can be claimed by phone and online.

To find out more about how Age UK Northumberland can support you, please get in touch with our friendly, dedicated team for a confidential chat on 01670 784 800 or you can email info@ageuk-northumberland.org.uk

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For Media Enquiries please contact

Jill Lloyd, Marketing and Business Development Manager

E: jill.lloyd@ageuk-northumberland.org.uk. | T: 01670 784 800 | M: 07710 701106

About Age UK Northumberland

Age UK Northumberland is an independent local charity which provides services for older adults throughout Northumberland.  The central service at the charity is free information, advice and advocacy; other services are designed to meet local needs and currently include: day care, personal care, exercise and falls prevention classes, lunch clubs and day centres.

Age UK Northumberland was registered with the Charity Commission in 1998. We are a brand partner within a network of 170 Age UKs, each an independent charity working to support local older adults.  We are funded thanks to the generous donations from members of the public, legacies, paid for services and fundraising activities.

Notes to editors:

[i] This is the latest date to put in a pension credit claim to guarantee eligibility for the first cost of living payment.

[ii] pension credit is extra money to help cover costs for those over State pension age and living on a low income. 

[iii] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-living-support/cost-of-living-support-factsheet-26-may-2022

[iv] https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/what-youll-get

Eligibility: To qualify for the first Cost of Living Payment of £326, you must have been entitled to a payment (or later found to be entitled to a payment) of either:

Universal credit for an assessment period that ended in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022

income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support or pension credit for any day in the period 26 April 2022 to 25 May 2022

[v] DWP, 2022. Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year 2019-2020.  Department for Work and pensions. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2019-to-2020/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-2019-to-2020