Martin Lewis urges 'check' as DWP could be paying millions more up to £10,000

Martin Lewis' latest email is calling on people to claim the benefits they are entitled to -Credit:ITV
Martin Lewis' latest email is calling on people to claim the benefits they are entitled to -Credit:ITV


Consumer rights campaigner and personal finance guru Martin Lewis is urging people to check their entitlement to certain Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits, with almost a third of the population not claiming thousands of pounds a year they are eligible to receive.

This month, state benefits and pensions saw a large increase to catch up with the ever-rising cost of living, with benefit payments increasing by 6.7 per cent and pensions increasing by 8.5 per cent. As a result, many of the rules and thresholds for these state benefits have also changed, meaning some could qualify who did not before.

Roughly 21 million people in the UK are not claiming benefits that they are entitled to, with many of these people not realising that they could qualify for some government assistance with living costs such as housing, or even feeding the kids. In fact, many people already claiming benefits are missing out on more money that they do not realise they qualify for.

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In his weekly Money Saving Expert (MSE) email, Martin Lewis laid out the main benefits that millions of Brits are missing out on. The MSE team has also created a benefits calculator to help people find the money they are eligible for.

The finance expert urged people to take a few minutes to make sure they're not missing out, telling his followers on X, formerly Twitter, not to "assume" they won't be entitled to anything. He said: "There are up to 21 million unclaimed benefits. Don't assume 'its not me' (a few benefits aren't means tested). From UC to water bill support, council tax help to attendance allowance, its worth a few mins to scan if you're entitled to owt".

Universal Credit: 1.25 million missing £10,000 per year

Universal Credit, and the legacy benefits it is replacing, was increased by 6.7 per cent across the board in April, which will help people cover various living costs that have ballooned in the past year. This means that a single person on Universal Credit has received a £405 annual boost to their payments.

The boost also saw the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET) for the benefit increase to £743 per month, or £1,143 for couples, meaning even more people on low pay now qualify for the income support, or for help with the cost of childcare.

MSE said: "Who's likely missing out? Households with lower incomes, up to roughly £35,000/yr, though if you've kids, high childcare costs and rent, it could be £60,000. If you've checked before, check the Benefits Calc again as Universal Credit rates have gone up."

Attendance Allowance: 1.1 million missing at least £3,778 per year through

Attendance Allowance is non means-tested benefit that award extra money to older people who need extra care. If you are of State Pension age or older, and either physically or mentally disabled, you could receive up to £108.55 per week to help with your additional costs - but over a million Brits do not realise this.

Commonly, people with Parkinson's, dementia, or terminal illness will qualify for these payments, which can scale up to £5,644 per year for the most ill.

MSE shared a success story from a reader: "Dear Martin, thank you for telling us about the Attendance Allowance. My husband has inoperable cancer, which has spread. I help him with medications and with daily tasks.

"I sent off all the letters three weeks ago, yesterday we received three weeks' higher rate [£5,644/yr] into our bank account. I rang the DWP helpline to see if it was an error, but they said it's correct as he has terminal cancer. The extra £100 a week makes a huge difference to make life easier for him!"

Council Tax support: 3 million missing £1,000+ per year through

These Council Tax support schemes are not run by the DWP, but by local authorities across the country. They are designed to help people on benefits or low incomes to receive a reduction on their Council Tax of up to 100 per cent.

Manchester City Council will reduce a Council Tax bill by up to 82.5 per cent, leaving you just 17.5 per cent of the original bill to pay. However, there are earning rules that this is based on, you can find out more on the council's website.

MSE said: "If you qualify for means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, you're often due this, but it's not automatic, YOU MUST APPLY, which is why so many miss out."

Carer's Allowance: 500,000 missing £4,000 per year through

Thousands of people who spend their days looking after someone for no reason other than love and compassion receive no money whatsoever for the work they do. These unpaid carers frequently qualify for Carer's Allowance, but do not apply.

Carer's Allowance is designed to take some of the burden off people who work as a full time carer and could help by up to £4,000 per year.

MSE said: "You must care for someone who usually gets Attendance Allowance, or some on personal independence payment or disability living allowance; spend 35+ hours a week helping with everyday tasks such as washing or cooking; and earn under £151/wk or have a low state pension."

Pension Credit: 850,000 missing £3,900 per year through

A quarter of pensioners live in some form of poverty, with many on the Basic State Pension struggling to keep up with their rising living costs, while dealing with a fixed income.

However, many pensioners can receive a large boost to their pensions that could significantly improve their living standards, and it is worth an average of £3,900 per claimant. Claiming the benefit can open doors to other bonuses, including a free TV licence or Council Tax reduction.

MSE said: "It's worth a check if you're of state pension age and have a weekly income below £235 (£350 if you're a couple, both of state pension age)."

Housing Benefit: 250,000 missing £5,000 per year through

People who have reached the State Pension age can receive help with their housing costs, which is particularly useful at a time of rising rents. This help comes through your Pension Credit claim and not Universal Credit, as it does for the under-66s.

MSE said those who qualify are: "Renters eligible for Pension Credit, for instance, on a relatively low income. When you apply for Pension Credit, you can usually apply for Housing Benefit at the same time. If you already get Pension Credit, apply with your council."

Free School Meals: 250,000 missing £650 per year through

Families can save money every week by registering for free school meals, taking some of the strain off the weekly food shop to the tune of £650 per year.

Signing up for Free School Meals will frequently help in other ways at school, with some schools offering further financial assistance with schooling costs. In Greater Manchester, all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 get free school meals regardless of their family income.

MSE said those who miss out on the benefit are: "Many new Universal Credit (UC) claimants with very low, or no, income (who don't realise you can only apply once you've had your first UC payment), and others who don't know they must re-register at the start of every year for each child.