DWP to send pensioners letter about income boost worth up to £4,000
Crucial information will be coming through pensioners’ letterboxes on an increase in state pension support soon
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Your support makes all the difference.Pensioners will soon by contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over a boost in income worth up to £4,200, coming in this year.
From April this year, millions of pensioners will benefit as the state pension increases by 4.1 per cent thanks to the triple lock. The guarantee system sees pensions rise in line with either the rate of inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent - which ever is highest.
The rise comes alongside a 1.7 per cent boost to all benefits, meaning an even bigger increase for many. It will come as some relief at a time when household bills have seen a massive spike.
Latest figures from the DWP show that 12.9 million people are currently claiming the state pension. The figure includes 4.1 million on the new state pension (post-2016) and 8.8 million on the basic state pension. Both will rise in line with the triple lock system.
The department will send a letter to every pensioner before April 7 letting them know how much their entitlements are increasing.
However, around £23bn worth of benefits go unclaimed every year, data from Policy in Practice shows, including around 850,000 pensioners missing out on pension credit, which is a top-up to a weekly income and different from the state pension.
The DWP has increased efforts to improve uptake of the benefit by sending information leaflets to pensioner households across the UK.
This benefit tops up a pensioner’s income to £218.15 a week, if their income falls below the amount. For a couple, this it is boosted to a joint £332.95. This will be increasing in April to £227.10 for individuals and £346.60 for couples.
Alongside the winter fuel payment, claiming pension credit can also unlock housing benefit, support with mortgages, a free TV licence and help with NHS dental appointments. This can mean up to £4,200 in extra support.
How much is the state pension going up?
For those receiving the full basic state pension (pre-2016), weekly payments will be increasing from £169.50 to £176.45. Over the course of the year, this will add up to a £361.40 boost.
For those receiving the full new state pension (post-2016), weekly payments will be increasing from £221.20 to £230.25. Over the course of the year, this will add up to a £470.60 boost.
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