Martin Lewis urges State Pensioners to claim £3,900 DWP income boost this winter

Linda Howard
·9-min read

Martin Lewis expressed ‘disappointment’ that Chancellor Rachel Reeves declined an invitation to appear on a post-Budget special edition of his TV show on Thursday as he wanted to ask her about the UK Government’s decision not to reverse the cuts to Winter Fuel Payments during the Autumn Statement.

More than 10 million State Pensioners will no longer be due the annual heating bill help of up to £300 because they are not receiving a means-tested benefit such as Pension Credit. The consumer champion made a heartfelt plea to viewers to help family members and neighbours check if they are entitled to Pension Credit as a successful claim for the £3,900 income top-up would also provide access to the Winter Fuel Payment.

READ MORE: New update on legal bid to reverse Winter Fuel Payment cut to millions of State Pensioners

READ MORE: New State Pension age compensation warning to all women born in the 1950s

Martin said: “I need to be honest, we invited Rachel Reeves on the programme tonight, she’s been on many of the political programmes. I’m not sure why she hasn’t come on the UK’s biggest current affairs show, maybe it’s because we’re a consumer programme and I’m disappointed because I would have liked to have asked her about this [Winter Fuel Payments].”

He then went on to explain how every State Pensioner received a £300 cost of living payment on top of the Winter Fuel Payment last year - up to £500 in one-off payments - but following the policy change will receive nothing.

The consumer champion played a clip of the Chancellor appearing on Good Morning Britain where she explained that the State Pension will rise by just over £470 in April under “Labour’s commitment to the Triple Lock” which will see the New and Basic State Pensions rise by the earnings growth measure of 4.1 per cent.

However, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com explained that the “standard government line of £470” when asked about the decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments does not “represent the majority of pensioners, it only represents a minority of pensioners”.

Martin clarified the difference between the full, New State Pension for those who reached retirement age after April 2016 and the full Old/Basic Sate Pension for those who reached retirement age before that date.

State Pension payments 2025/26

It’s important to be aware that additional State Pension elements will increase by the September CPI figure of 1.7 per cent.

Full New State Pension

  • Weekly payment: £230.25 (from £221..20)

  • Four-weekly payment: £921 (from £884.80)

  • Annual amount: £11,973 (from £11,502)

Full Basic State Pension

  • Weekly payment: £176.45 (from £169.50)

  • Four-weekly payment: £705.80 (from £678)

  • Annual amount: £9,175 (from £8,814)

Martin explained that while the Chancellor is quoting an annual rise of £471, the reality is that three-quarters of all State Pensioners are on the Basic State Pension and will receive an annual uplift of £36 - but only if they are on the full State Pension.

To get the full New or Basic State Pension people need to have paid in certain amounts of National Insurance Contributions before retiring.

Martin said: “Millions of the poorest don’t have their full contributions so their rise will be lower. Now what is the protection here? It’s Pension Credit.”

The financial guru shared the new income thresholds that will come into force on April 7, 2025. The Standard Minimum Guarantee in Pension Credit will increase from £218.15 to £227.10 a week for a single pensioner and from £332.95 to £346.60 a week for a pensioner couple.

He continued: “1.4m people claim Pension Credit, around 800,000 people eligible for Pension Credit don't claim Pension Credit, it’s a critically underclaimed benefit. The idea we’re protecting the poorest pensioners through Pension Credit with the 240 question form, with the 800,000 people - many with onset dementia who do not claim Pension Credit - we are not protecting 800,000 of them.

“I was expecting some mitigation from that because many people, me and Age Concern and others have been lobbying about this, it has not happened.”

He then made a direct plea to the nation to help pensioners in their life check if they are entitled to Pension Credit.

Martin said: “Please get them to check if they are eligible for Pension Credit. Moe should have been done, it isn’t being done. Get them to check, they just have to call up, it doesn’t matter if they’re not eligible, they can always check.”

He added that 800,000 of the poorest pensioners will not get a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, but “we collectively need to act on it” and spread the word.

Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for the means-tested benefit, which can also provide access to help with housing costs, heating bills and Council Tax.

An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support.

Below is an overview of the benefit including the fastest ways to check eligibility and where to get help filling in the application form.

Who can claim Pension Credit?

There are two types of Pension Credit - Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit , you must be State Pension age (66). Your weekly income will need to be less than the minimum amount the UK Government says you need to live on.

This is £218.15 for a single person and £332.95 for a couple - this amount could be higher if you're disabled, a carer or have certain housing costs.

You can only get Savings Credit if:

  • you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, or you have a partner who reached State Pension age before this date and was already receiving it

  • you have qualifying income of at least £189.80 a week for a single person and £301.22 a week for a couple

How much could I get?

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.

Fastest ways 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 check if they should 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 fond 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.

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