Fresh advice for those worried about losing winter fuel payments

The City of Wolverhampton Council is contacting nearly 1000 households in the city with renewed advice for pension-aged carers about applying for pension credit without delay.

The council’s Welfare Rights Service has had a dedicated team focused on increasing the uptake of any benefits residents might be entitled to since August last year.

This has already resulted in a total of £1,498,219 in extra benefit income which they were entitled to but were missing out on.

Of that total amount, £870,908 a year was successfully applied for in benefits for pensioners.

The Welfare Rights Service is now urging people, who are of pension age and who care for someone, to get in touch with them or Citizens Advice (Dudley and Wolverhampton) to see if they could qualify for Pension Credit.

This is now even more relevant with the government having identified that as many as 880,000 pensioner households are missing out on Pension Credit and if successfully claimed it opens the door to the Winter Fuel Payment.

Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Louise Miles, said the council was doing everything possible to assist eligible residents to apply.

‘We’ve always looked after our own in this city and we’ve been helping people apply for any benefits they might have been missing out on since August last year.

‘We are now writing to households we feel might be entitled to pension credit to urge them to contact us or Citizens Advice without delay.

‘If you do qualify, this is money you are entitled to have, so please don’t miss out, get in touch now.’

The council has made accessing support as easy as possible, by providing a range of options for people who are missing out on this benefit to get in touch through a range of channels. Our website has been updated and there is a dedicated message on the customer service helpline to direct queries specifically about pension credit.

Members of the public can make contact by phone, email or in person at customer access points.

Funded by the government’s Household Support Fund, the council has two officers within the Welfare Rights Service dedicated to raising awareness of unclaimed benefits and supporting people to make relevant benefit claims.

So here are the key details people need to know about eligibility and applying:

• If you are over State Pension Age and have a low income you could be eligible for pension credit and receive the winter fuel payment, even if you own your home or have savings.
• You need to apply without delay and request a backdate of any potential award when you apply (as it will not be done automatically)
• If you get pension credit during the period of 16 -22 September 2024 you may also be eligible to a winter fuel payment. 
• The maximum amount of time a backdate can be applied is three months, so applicants must have claimed pension credit on any day up to and including 21 December 2024 to get the winter fuel payment.
• The average pension credit payment is more than £75 per week – that’s over an extra £3,900 per year. Plus, getting pension credit can provide a passport to help with things like rent, council tax, cold weather payments and a free TV licence for people aged 75 and over.
• People can have savings or other pension income can still get this extra money.

So call the Welfare Rights Service at the council on 07966 292321 Monday to Friday 10-12 noon or email wrs.benefitshelpline@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Or if you prefer contact the Citizens Advice (Dudley and Wolverhampton) on 0808 278 7919 Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays 9.30am-3.30pm or email cagetadvice@dudleyandwolverhampton.com