Martin Lewis urges pensioners to get £4,400 from DWP and it’s not Pension Credit | Personal Finance | Finance

Martin Lewis’ MSE is urging state pensioners to get their hands on £4,400 they’re owed by the Department for Work and Pensions – and it’s not Pension Credit.

As is well documented, state pensioners are losing their £300 Winter Fuel Payment this winter as part of a raft of Budget changes coming in Wednesday’s first Labour Budget.

That’s why it’s even more important to check you’re claiming absolutely everything you can and maximise your income at a time when energy bills are still rising too.

One DWP benefit that Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert team is pushing people to claim is Housing Benefit.

You can claim Housing Benefit at any age (over 18), you don’t have to be a pensioner.

But according to MSE, as many as 294,000 state pensioners are missing out on an average of £4,400 a year in Housing Benefit.

For those aged under 66, help for housing costs – such as financial support for paying the rent – is baked into Universal Credit.

But for those of state pension age, it isn’t and you need to apply separately. If you’re eligible for Pension Credit you can usually apply for Housing Benefit at the same time, and if you already get Pension Credit you can apply for Housing Benefit via your local council.

Martin Lewis’ MSE says: “If you rent your home and receive any amount of Guarantee Credit, you are eligible for the maximum Housing Benefit entitlement from your local authority. Housing Benefit isn’t a fixed amount, but you could get £100s a month, and even have your rent paid in full.

“If you receive Savings Credit but not Guarantee Credit, you may get some help towards rent, but not the full amount.

“You may not get the full amount if there are non-dependants in your household or, for example, if your rent is considered too high.

“When you claim Pension Credit, you should be asked if you want to claim Housing Benefit at the same time. If you aren’t asked, contact your local authority to apply.”