Responding to the latest Pension Credit take-up figures, Joanna Elson CBE Chief Executive of Independent Age, said:

“It is disappointing that Pension Credit take-up estimates released today show that around 760,000 eligible older households missed out on this money between April 2022 and March 2023, with Pension Credit take-up only estimated to have risen from 63% to 65%.

“We are working hard with DWP to raise awareness of Pension Credit, but the UK Government’s own data shows that they expect hundreds of thousands of people to continue to miss out, even after their welcome awareness campaign. 

“Behind these statistics are real people who are worrying about whether they will be able to afford next month’s bills. Each year, our Independent Age advisers hear from thousands of older people living in financial hardship who are forced to make decisions such as whether to wash in warm water or eat fresh vegetables.  To ensure this group don’t also miss out on the Winter Fuel Payment we continue to call on the UK Government to pause their plan to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment. 

“During April 2022 and March 2023, the country was going through a cost-of-living crisis which hit older people on low incomes particularly hard as their income failed to keep up with rising prices. It is worrying that at this difficult time, awareness pushes from the previous UK Government have still resulted in 760,000 older households not receiving the support they are entitled to.

“We know there has been an increase in applications since the announcement that the Winter Fuel Payment would be means tested, but it is unclear how many of these will result in successful claims.

“Independent Age is urging the UK Government to maintain the Winter Fuel Payment in its current form until significant action can be taken to substantially increase Pension Credit take-up. Previous strategies have not moved the dial, we can’t have more of the same. We need an innovative, evidence-based, long-term benefits take-up strategy that maps out how older people living in, or on the edge of, poverty can access the financial support they are entitled to. With winter around the corner, now is the time to bring those who most need it back in from the cold.”

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