BENEFIT BLOW
Four mistakes that could stop you from getting state pension boost and winter fuel payment worth up to £3,200
Scroll down to find out who is eligible for the state pension boost
FOUR mistakes could see you denied a state pension boost and winter fuel payment worth £3,200 - but you can rectify them.
The Pension Credit application errors could see you missing out on not just the benefit but the added perks that come with it.
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Pension Credit is for those on a low income which tops up your weekly income to a minimum amount.
Applications for the benefit have risen by 150% since the government announced it would means test the winter fuel payment.
The up to £300 payment used to be issued to anyone of state pension age or older but is now only open to those on certain benefits, including Pension Credit.
The latest government statistics reveal around 150,000 applications for the benefit were submitted between July 29 to November 18.
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But the number of approvals has risen by just 17% over the same period, with refusals almost doubling from 27,100 to 53,100.
The Sun spoke to Helen Morrissey, pensions expert at Hargreaves Lansdown, and James Singleton, advisor from Benefits Answers, to find out the most common reasons you might have a Pension Credit application refused, and what you can do about it.
The DWP thinks your income is above the qualifying level
Generally, you qualify for Pension Credit if you're single and your total weekly income is under £218 or it's under £333 if you're in a couple and both state pension age.
If your weekly income breaches these limits, you may see your application for Pension Credit denied.
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However, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) may believe your income to be over these thresholds even if they are not if you make errors during the application process, or they are at fault.
If you think the DWP's decision is incorrect, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration, Helen said.
It is a free process which allows you to challenge a decision made by the DWP, but any requests will have to be submitted within a month of receiving a decision from the government department.
You can request a mandatory reconsideration by letter or phone.
You can find out more via //www.gov.uk/mandatory-reconsideration/how-to-ask-for-mandatory-reconsideration
As part of the process, you will need to gather evidence to prove you are entitled to Pension Credit, Helen said.
"You will need to gather evidence – for instance private pension statements or bank statements."
Bear in mind, if you've been rejected for Pension Credit in the past but your circumstances have changed, like your income has dropped, it could be worth reapplying as you might be eligible when you weren't.
The DWP thinks you've been out of the country
The DWP may also reject a claim for Pension Credit if it thinks you've been out of the country for longer than four weeks.
This is because the benefit is only for those who live in England, Wales or Scotland.
If you've been outside the UK for longer than four weeks, there isn't much you can do.
However, if you've been inside the UK for under four weeks, you can again go to the DWP to get it to correct its records.
You can do this through a mandatory reconsideration.
Helen said, again, it's worth gathering evidence to prove your case, like airline tickets which prove you travelled on certain dates.
She added: "It might be worth getting evidence such as travel tickets to demonstrate when you were away."
You fill in the form incorrectly
The DWP may decline your application if you fill in the form incorrectly, for example by providing the wrong bank account details.
It comes as fears were raised by charities the application form for Pension Credit is far too convoluted, with over 240 boxes to tick.
James, from Benefits Answers, said if you're struggling to fill in the form or are worried about making errors, you could try getting help from your local Citizens Advice branch.
You can find your nearest one in England or Wales via www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales/about-us/contact-us/nearby.
If you're confident about filling in the form, James said to make sure you answer the questions as succinctly as possible.
"A lot of people get confused by the forms and go over the top and give too much information," he said.
"Keep it simple, only answer what the form is asking for and only give additional details if they're asking for them."
You don't apply in the first place
James said some people think they won't qualify for Pension Credit if they receive other benefits and don't even apply.
However, you might be eligible if you claim other benefits like Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
To avoid this, use a benefits calculator to help you find out what you're eligible for. There are a number of free ones you can use:
James said: "We have noticed that if clients have an underlying entitlement to Pension Credit, it's usually because they get another benefit like Attendance Allowance."
What is Pension Credit and who is eligible?
Pension Credit is designed to top up your weekly income if you are a state pensioner, currently 66, with low earnings.
There are two parts to the benefit - Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.
Savings Credit is extra money you get if you have some savings or your income is above the basic full state pension amount - £169.50.
Savings Credit is only available to people who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016.
Usually, you only qualify for Pension Credit if your income is below the £218.15 or £332.95 thresholds.
However, you can sometimes be eligible for Savings Credit or Guarantee Credit depending on your circumstances.
For example, if you are suffering from a severe disability and claiming Attendance Allowance, as well as other benefits, you can get an extra £81.50 a week.
Meanwhile, you can get either £66.29 a week or £76.79 a week for each child you're responsible and caring for.
The rules behind who qualifies for Pension Credit can be complicated, so the best thing to do is just check.
You can do this by calling the Pension Service helpline on 0800 99 1234 from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday or by using free online calculators.
Those in Northern Ireland have to call the Pension Centre on 0808 100 6165 from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
It might be worth a visit to your local Citizens Advice branch too - its staff should be able to offer you help for free.
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Pension Credit is known as a "gateway" benefit which means it opens up a host of perks, like the winter fuel payment and a free TV licence if you are 75 or older.
It also unlocks discounts on your council tax and the Warm Home Discount, if you are on the Guarantee Credit part of the benefit.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains all you need to know about the payment.
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.
Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.
Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you do meet the criteria but don't automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to on the government's website.
You'll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:
- you were born on or before September 23, 1958
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the "qualifying week"
- you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:
- you live in Switzerland or a EEA country
- you have a "genuine and sufficient" link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK
But there are exclusions - you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
You will also not qualify if you:
- are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole "qualifying week"
- lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
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