It’s well documented that millions of state pensioners will lose their £200 to £300 Winter Fuel Payment this winter after Labour switched the benefit to being means tested rather than automatic.
But money expert Martin Lewis is raising awareness of a little known loophole which means you can still qualify for Pension Credit, and in turn, the up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment, even if your pension income is higher than the usual approximately £218 a week Pension Credit threshold.
Martin Lewis tweeted (‘X posted’) today to tell his followers about the little known loophole.
He said: “Don’t assume you aren’t due winter fuel help. There’s a host of reasons you may still qualify for Pension Credit even if you’re over the threshold.”
Martin then linked to his Money Saving Expert guidance on how to get Pension Credit even if you earn more than would usually qualify you for it.
It said: “You can qualify with HIGHER income if you have a disability or illness. “An example is those who get Attendance Allowance (AA) – a crucial payment for older people who need help and support with day-to-day activities. If you get it, the income threshold for qualifying for Pension Credit rises by £82/wk (on top of your AA payment, which isn’t counted as income).
Martin heard from one woman who said her dad had claimed via the loophole and was handed nearly £8,000 a year more from the DWP as a result.
She said: “I’ve successfully claimed for my dad who has chronic arthritis – so he now gets an extra £72/wk. He has struggled for years, he’d not been able to claim Pension Credit previously as he has a small private pension. Now he has AA, he’s also eligible for a further £35/wk Pension Credit, and his Housing Benefit has been increased by £40/wk. So a total extra £150/wk – a huge help, and he will still be eligible for Winter Fuel Allowance, so will receive annually almost £8,000 extra. It will change his life and I’m really grateful to you.”
You can also still get Pension Credit if you have savings in the bank. Any savings of £10,000 or less are ignored, and Pension Credit payments are then ‘tapered’ off at a rate of every £500 you have over £10,000 counted as £1 a week income.
