WASPI women, along with thousands of others, are being encouraged to claim their entitlement from the DWP, which could average up to £4,200 through the Pension Credit benefit.
Pensions Minister Torsten Bell highlighted that this benefit is designed to combat “financial hardship among older people”, including “women born in the 1950s that were impacted by changes to the State Pension age”.
In the coming weeks, approximately 11 million pensioners will receive a leaflet promoting Pension Credit alongside their State Pension uprating letter.
This state benefit increases a person’s weekly pension income, but it is means-tested, necessitating a thorough examination of your finances and personal circumstances to determine eligibility. It is thought this has deterred many who mistakenly believe they do not qualify.
However, you can easily check eligibility for yourself or a loved one using the online Pension Credit tool at Gov.uk. Alternatively, pensioners can reach out to the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 – lines are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Typically, single individuals with a weekly income below £218.15 and couples with a combined income of less than £332.95 are likely to be eligible.
A DWP report from last October disclosed that it was taking over 10 weeks to process a Pension Credit application, although your payments can be backdated so you will not miss out entirely while you are waiting.
This also means pensioners and Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) women who apply now could receive a boost to their first Pension Credit payment after increases in April. The standard minimum guarantee for Pension Credit will rise by 4.1%, reaching £227.10 per week for single individuals, and couples will see an increase to £346.60 weekly.
As reported by the Daily Record, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has data showing that 760,000 elderlies are eligible but not claiming Pension Credit. Even with minimal direct benefits, receiving this opens avenues for additional financial support, including Council Tax Reduction, Winter Fuel Payments, Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, and free TV licences for over-75s.
The encouragement for WASPI women to apply for Pension Credit follows a disheartening outcome for their cause in Parliament.
Mr Bell stood firm on the decision not to compensate women born in the 1950s that were affected by state pension age changes, against the Ombudsman’s findings of DWP communication issues with affected women.
He said: “As custodians of the public purse, we must ensure that decisions are rooted in evidence and fair to everyone. The facts remain that the vast majority of women knew the state pension age was increasing, and even for those who didn’t, we know that sending letters earlier would not have made a difference in most cases.”
