Martin Lewis tip helps pensioner keep £300 Winter Fuel Payment after rule change
A woman explained how she believed her mum's income was over the threshold for Pension Credit so she didn't believe she would be eligible for the benefit
by Ruby Flanagan, Sonia Sharma · ChronicleLiveA pensioner has been able to keep her Winter Fuel Payment after eligibility rule changes - thanks to advice from Martin Lewis.
A woman, called Lucinda, shared her experience with MoneySavingExpert.com and her story was highlighted in the MSE newsletter as the "success of the week". She emailed Martin's team to tell them her mum had initially lost her entitlement to the £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year after the Government's rule change.
Originally, all pensioners over the state pension age of 66 received the payment. However last month the Labour Government changed the eligibility rules, so this year only those claiming certain means-tested benefits will be eligible for the money, reports the Mirror. The full list includes:
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income Support
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit
Since the announcement, Martin Lewis has urged older people to check their entitlement to Pension Credit. The consumer expert described the benefit as a "financial lifeline" to low-income pensioners noting that a "better" name for it should be "the state pension top-up".
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Pension Credit is a benefit available to people who have reached the state pension age of 66 and tops up your weekly income to £218.15 a week if you are single, or to £332.95 if you’re in a couple. Alongside this, when you claim you can also get other things such as a free TV licence and free dental treatment. The DWP says this boost is worth up to £3,900 a year on average.
In her email, Lucinda said she believed her mum's income was over the threshold so she didn't believe she would be eligible. However, she received another recent MSE newsletter which advised those who may just be over the limit to "try it anyway".
After following Martin's advice and speaking to the DWP, Lucinda's mum was awarded Pension Credit. Her email said: "Thanks so much for Martin's Pension Credit email. My mum was just over the threshold, so we didn't apply, but worried about the Winter Fuel Payment, no free TV licence, cheaper broadband etc.
"Then I saw Martin's email saying: 'If you're only just over, try it anyway.' A (long) call to the DWP later and mum told me she'll get Pension Credit. My dad died earlier this year, so not only has Mum been going through it, but money is much tighter. I can't thank you enough. She's both relieved and thrilled."
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