I am supporting Independent Age's campaign to increase the uptake of Pension Credit over the next five years.
I have been working with Independent Age – as well as our fantastic local organisations like Age UK Sutton, Sutton Volunteer Centre, Community Action Sutton – throughout COVID-19 to explore the best ways to support our older residents, and I am pleased to see the sector’s continued commitment to ensuring everyone who is eligible can access their entitlement to Pension Credit.
More than 1,276 households in Carshalton and Wallington who are entitled to Pension Credit do not receive the benefit, which is designed to provide additional support for the least well-off pensioners.
New research from the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University, commissioned and published by Independent Age, shows that across Britain, the extra costs for taxpayers for those eligible for Pension Credit not receiving it is an estimated £4 billion per year for the NHS and care services.
Report authors Professor Donald Hirsch and Dr Juliet Stone concluded that if Pension Credit take-up was increased from 61 per cent to 100 per cent, then almost 450,000 people nationwide would be more financially secure, reducing pensioner poverty to its lowest ever level.
I know that Ministers take this matter very seriously, and earlier this year the Department for Work & Pensions launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit, encouraging everyone over State Pension age to check whether they are eligible.
I am pleased that the Government has developed the Pension Credit 'toolkit' as an online resource for people in order to encourage take-up, which includes material from this year’s awareness campaign, as well as resources and suggestions to assist agencies and welfare rights organisations to encourage Pension Credit take-up and help pensioners apply for Pension Credit.
There is more to do to reach 100 per cent take-up, and I would encourage all residents in our area to check whether they are eligible for Pension Credit. You can do so here: https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/eligibility
I will continue to support Independent Age, and all organisations working to support older residents, on behalf of my constituents.