£11,000 in DWP support on offer to state pensioners this winter

UK State Pensioners might be in line for additional financial support this winter. With recent reductions to the Winter Fuel Payment, fewer elderly individuals will qualify for extra help with their heating expenses.

However, there are several benefits and measures that could significantly increase the income of those eligible. This includes a benefit designed to supplement low incomes, which nearly one million pensioners may be entitled to, while voluntary contributions to national insurance could nudge some into meeting the state pension threshold.

Minister for Pensions Emma Reynolds has previously stated: "As we head into the winter months, I want to ensure the most vulnerable in our society are getting the support they need, and that's why we have a range of measures targeted at helping low-income households."

More details on how to boost your state pension are outlined below....

National Insurance credits for grandparents

Grandparents throughout the UK could see their state pension boosted by up to £11,000 through Specified Adult Childcare (SACC) credits. Despite this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures indicate that only about 150,000 applications for SACCs have been submitted over the last eight years, even though there are more than 12 million people receiving the State Pension in the UK, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Official government guidance suggests you could be entitled to these credits if you meet two key criteria.

According to official government guidance, you may be entitled to the credits if you meet both of the following:

* you are an eligible family member who provided care for a child aged under 12

* their parent or main carer does not need the credits themselves

Applications for the credits can be made provided certain conditions are met. SACC applications can only be submitted after October 31 of the tax year you wish to claim for, as checks will need to be conducted if the parent or main carer of the child has a qualifying year for National Insurance reasons.

Applications can be made by completing this form online which will then need to be printed and posted to HMRC. The address to send the form to is included on the form itself.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit is designed to help those over the State Pension age on a low income by boosting their annual income by around £3,900 on average. It's estimated that 880,000 people are eligible for Pension Credit but aren't applying.

Pension Credit comes in two forms: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit, you must be of State Pension age (currently 66).

Your weekly income should be less than the minimum amount the UK Government deems necessary for living. This minimum is set at £218.15 for single individuals and £332.95 for couples.

These amounts may be higher if you're disabled, a carer, or have certain housing costs. You can check your eligibility for Pension Credit through the benefits calculator on gov.uk here.

Boost qualifying years.

Pensioners could boost their national insurance qualifying years by making voluntary class 3 contributions. Typically, these additional payments can be made within a six-year window of the tax year, for instance, if you wanted to fill a gap in 2022/23, you have until the end of the tax year in 2029.

To qualify for the state pension, you need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record. Adding to this can help increase your payment amount to the full rate, which currently stands at £221.20 a week.

Full details on boosting qualifying years can be found on gov.uk here.