DWP sending letter to state pensioners containing free £4,519 boost

The Department for Work and Pensions is writing to state pensioners born before 1959 about a £4519 boost. Millions of pensioners are being sent letters for a huge income boost with Pension Credit awareness continuing from the DWP and new Labour Party government.

Pension Credit is worth £3,900 plus a £300 Winter Fuel Payment, as well as Council Tax discounts, Housing Benefit, a free TV licence, worth £169, and the £150 Warm Home Discount Scheme. You’ll be eligible if either you and your partner have both reached State Pension age and one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age.

A partner is either your husband, wife or civil partner - if you live with them or someone you live with as a couple, without being married or in a civil partnership. When you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together.

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Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner. If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.

Your income includes State Pension and other pensions as well as earnings from employment and self-employment and most social security benefits, for example Carer’s Allowance. Not all benefits are counted as income, though.

If you’re entitled to a personal or workplace pension and you have not claimed it yet, the amount you’d expect to get still counts as income. If you’ve deferred your State Pension, the amount of State Pension you would get is counted as income.

You cannot build up extra amounts for deferring your State Pension if you or your partner are getting Pension Credit. 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.