How to apply for Pension Credit as claims hit almost 75,000 since winter fuel payment cuts

Almost 75,000 people have applied for pension credit since the Labour government announced cuts to the winter fuel payment. Chancellor Rachel Reeves on July 29 announced that the previously universal payments for pensioners, would be means-tested.

The cuts will see 10 m pensioners lose out on between £100 and £300 this winter. The payment will only be sent to those on Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits this year.

Earlier this week, dozens of Merseyside pensioners braved torrential rain outside the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool to protest the policy. The Labour government also lost a non-binding vote on the policy at the conference.

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Department for Work and Pensions figures released on Friday showed the government received around 74,400 pension credit claims in the eight weeks since July 29. This is up from 29,500 claims in the eight weeks before the announcement. But in the seven days beginning on September 16, the department received 11,800 claims, down from 13,400 the week before.

The vast majority (91.8%) of claims made in the week beginning September 16 were made online. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously urged pensioners to check if they are eligible for the benefit, which would unlock winter fuel payments of up to £300.

The Labour government scaled back the previously universal cash packages so only claimants of certain benefits, including pension credit and universal credit, will receive them, after Ms Reeves described a £22 billion “black hole” in the public finances, made up of unfunded spending commitments. “It’s easier than ever to check if you are eligible, including with our online calculator, and if your circumstances have changed since the last time you looked I urge you to check again,” Ms Kendall said during her department’s Pension Credit Week of Action, held during the first week of September.

“Thousands of pensioners are missing out on pension credit worth on average £3,900 per year. That needs to change.”

How to apply for Pension Credit

The DWP website states that you must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached state pension age to qualify for Pension Credit. You must include your partner on your application but you’ll be eligible if either you and your partner have both reached state pension age or one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over state pension age.

When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together. Pension Credit is meant to top up your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.

If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit - this is if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs. In the application, your income includes the state pension, other pensions, earnings from employment and self-employment and most other benefits.

The government website states that if you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit. If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.

Additionally, If you’ve deferred your state pension, the amount of state pension you would get is counted as income. You can apply online for Pension Credit at gov.uk.

What have Labour and the unions said?

At her party’s annual conference, held in Liverpool this week, Ms Kendall told activists and delegates her government had “done more to help the poorest pensioners in the last two months than the Tories did in 14 years”, including “the biggest ever drive to get pensioners on pension credit, backed by our commitment to the pensions triple lock”. But conference attendees voted to condemn the introduction of winter fuel allowance means testing after a debate on Wednesday.

A successful union-backed motion urged the Chancellor to “reverse the introduction of means-testing for the winter fuel allowance”. Unite the Union moved the motion and its general secretary Sharon Graham won rounds of applause as she said: “This is not what people voted for.

"It is the wrong decision and needs to be reversed. We are the sixth richest economy in the world. We have the money.

“Britain needs investment, not austerity mark two. We won’t get any gold badge for shaving peanuts off our debt.”

Alan Tate, of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), said the winter fuel payment cut had “overshadowed” the work of the new Labour government. He said: “The CWU has been inundated with emails and calls from our retired members worried about choosing between heating and eating.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded in a Channel 4 News interview after the motion: “I do understand how, you know, colleagues in the Labour movement feel about this. This is clearly a difficult decision but a motion at conference doesn’t dictate government policy.”