The DWP has issued an update about payments for pensioners (Image: Getty)
The DWP has issued an update over payments going out to tens of thousands of pensioners. The department is stepping up its efforts to ensure older people get all the support they are entitled to. People are urged to apply for any payments they are due as hundreds of thousands of people are still missing out.
One of the most underclaimed means of support for pensioners is Pension Credit, which is available to people of state pension age and above. DWP figures released in October 2025 showed that up to 910,000 eligible families were missing out on the benefit in the 2023/2024 tax year, up from 760,000 families in the 2022/2023 financial year.
The numbers showed 38 percent of those entitled to the support didn’t get it in 2023/2024, up from 35 percent in 2022/2023. The benefit is typically worth around £4,300 a year in extra income according to the DWP. The benefit provides a top up to your regular income and access to other Government support, such as a free TV licence for those aged 75 and over.
The income top-up, known as ‘Guarantee Credit’, tops up your income to up to £227.10 a week for single claimants and up to £346.60 a week if you have a partner. You can get extra amounts on top of this depending on your situation. For example, you can get an extra £82.90 a week if you live with a severe disability and you can get an additional £46.40 a week if you care for another adult.
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The DWP was asked for an update on its efforts to contact people to get them to apply for the benefit. A DWP spokesperson said: “We want all pensioners to get the support they are rightly entitled to and our biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign has seen a record number of claims with nearly 60,000 extra awards this year.
“To help boost claims we have also undertaken a new trial with Age UK and Independent Age which targets pensioners who are most likely to be eligible for Pension Credit but not currently claiming the benefit.”
The most recent figures show there were 30,000 more households claiming the benefit in May 2025, with 1,391,070 claimants, compared to August 2024, when there were 1,360,657 claimants. The department said that since 2025, it has been running a “wide-reaching campaign” to let people know about the benefit.
This includes adverts across TV and more than 150 radio stations, including Greatest Hits Radio, Classic FM, and Smooth Radio, as well as through online channels such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. They have also sent out adverts in GPs and Post Offices to urge people to apply.
In a recent change, anyone who applies for Housing Benefit who may be eligible for Pension Credit is now invited to apply for the benefit. Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at Money Wellness, said: “Pension Credit should be one of the easiest supports to deliver, yet many eligible pensioners aren’t claiming, often because they are unaware of it or believe they are ineligible.
“The people missing out are often the oldest and most vulnerable pensioners, many of whom aren’t online, aren’t well, or simply can’t cope with complex forms. We regularly speak to pensioners who would benefit hugely from Pension Credit but abandon claims because the process feels overwhelming.”
Ms Lamb called for more efforts to reach potential claimants. She said: “The consequences are serious because Pension Credit is a gateway benefit. Missing out doesn’t just mean less money each week. It can lock people out of help with council tax, housing costs, NHS dental treatment and winter support.
“On average, someone could be losing around £3,900 a year, simply because they couldn’t get through the system. If ministers are serious about protecting pensioners from poverty, this needs to be addressed. The support is there; it just isn’t reaching the people it’s meant for.”
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