Martin Lewis issues urgent Winter Fuel Payment warning to 700,000 State Pensioners
Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning to over 700,000 low income pensioners who may be entitled to this year’s Winter Fuel Payment, but could miss out on either £200 or £300 if they ignore a crucial deadline coming up in just a couple of weeks’ time. During the final Martin Lewis Money Show Live of 2024, the consumer champion urged everyone to encourage older people in their life to check if they are eligible for Pension Credit.
Martin explained new claims for the £4,200 income boost need to be made before December 21 to ensure entitlement to a backdated Winter Fuel Payment. He also told ITV viewers Pension Credit acts as a “gateway” to other streams of financial support including Council Tax discounts and help with housing costs.
READ MORE: New calls to increase weekly State Pension payments to £549 for every person aged over 60
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Martin said: “This is an urgent warning about the Winter fuel payment deadline. For the first time this winter, payments for pensioners are means-tested and the payment is worth £200, or £300 if you’re older. To get Winter Fuel Payment you now need to claim and get Pension Credit.
“The last date to apply is a little less than two weeks away (December 21), but you must’ve been eligible three months ago because this is effectively a backdated claim.”
It’s important to note claims made after December 21 will still be eligible for future Winter Fuel Payments, this deadline is for the 2024/25 payment only.
The financial guru also explained who is “likely to get” Pension Credit:
Single with total weekly income of under £200 - likely to get it, so apply
Single with total weekly income of under £235 - may get it, so apply
Couple (both of State Pension age) with total weekly income under £333 - likely to get it, so apply
Couple (both of State Pension age) with total weekly income under £350 - may get it, so apply
Martin also shared what counts as income when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are reviewing applications, these include money from:
Any income
State Pension
Any other pension
Benefits - disability benefits such as Attendance Allowance are not counted towards income
The founder of MoneySavingExpert also clarified savings under £10,000 do not impact applications, but for every £500 over £1 is counted as income.
Martin acknowledges the eligibility rules may seem complicated to some older people and urged them to “don’t stall, just call” the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 to find out if they qualify - a phrase first coined by former pensions minister Guy Opperman.
Martin added: “I’ve been on about this before but that still leaves approximately 700,000 eligible poorer pensioners with averaging income under £11,400 who the Government thinks should get Winter Fuel Payment, but won’t, which is why I think it is a bad way to means-test as this is a critically under-claimed benefit.”
An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support. Below is an overview of the benefit including eligibility, how to go about it, how much you could get and where to get help filling in the form.
How much could you receive from DWP?
Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to:
£218.15 for a single person
£332.95 for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting)
You might be able to get more than this if you're disabled or a carer, or you have certain housing costs.
Savings Credit can give you up to:
£17.01 a week for a single person
£19.04 a week for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting).
The exact amount you’ll get depends on your income and savings. Your income includes assumed income from savings and capital over £10,000.
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 GOV.UK 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.
Expert help and advice is also available from:
More details about claiming Pension Credit can be found on GOV.UK here.
Other help if you get Pension Credit
If you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:
Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
Council Tax discount
Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme or Winter Fuel Payments
A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house
Mixed aged older couples and Pension Credit
In May 2019, the law changed so a ‘mixed age couple’ - a couple where one partner is of State Pension age and the other is under it - are considered to be a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested benefits.
This means they cannot claim Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit until they are both State Pension age. Before this DWP change, a mixed age couple could be eligible to claim the more generous State Pension age benefits when just one of them reached State Pension age.
How to use the Pension Credit calculator
To use the calculator on GOV.UK, you will need details of:
earnings, benefits and pensions
savings and investments
You’ll need the same details for your partner if you have one. You will be presented by a series of questions with multiple choice answer options.
This includes:
Your date of birth
Your residential status
Where in the UK you live
Whether you are registered blind
Which benefits you currently receive
How much you receive each week for any benefits you get
Whether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after you
How much you get each week from pensions - State Pension, private and work pensions
Any employment earnings
Any savings, investments or bonds you have
Once you have answered these questions, a summary screen shows your responses, allowing you to go back and change any answers before submitting. The Pension Credit calculator then displays how much benefit you could receive each week.
All you have to do then is follow the link to the application page to find out exactly what you will get from the DWP, including access to other financial support.
There’s also an option to print off the answers you give using the calculator tool to help you complete the application form quicker without having to look out the same details again. Try the Pension Credit Calculator for yourself or your family member to make sure you’re receiving all the financial support you are entitled to claim.
Who cannot use the Pension Credit calculator?
You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner:
are deferring your State Pension
own more than one property
are self employed
have housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit
How to make a claim
You can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age. You can claim any time after you reach State Pension age but your claim can only be backdated for three months.
This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.
You will need:
your National Insurance number
information about your income, savings and investments
your bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by post
If you’re backdating your claim, you’ll need details of your income, savings and investments on the date you want your claim to start.
Apply online
You can use the online service if:
you have already claimed your State Pension
there are no children or young people included in your claim
To check your entitlement, phone the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator here to find out how much you could get.
