A scheme that has helped Londoners receive an additional £8.4 million in unclaimed Pension Credit is to be rolled out to 10,000 more older Londoners on lower incomes.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, together with London boroughs, launched a campaign in February to ensure older Londoners do not miss out on receiving all of the Pension Credit they are entitled to during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
More than 8,200 older households were targeted and the Mayor today revealed that the campaign resulted in 2,165 successful claims from eligible Londoners, amounting to just under £8.4 million (£8,398,429) in direct additional annual income – an average of £3,879 per claim.
The campaign, in partnership with welfare and data analytics company Policy in Practice, saw eligible older Londoners in 17 London boroughs receive targeted letters to make them aware that they should be claiming this valuable benefit.
Following the success of this initial phase, the Mayor has announced that he will be expanding the campaign this autumn to include up to 23 boroughs. It is estimated that these boroughs will contact a total of over 10,000 households, with up to £9 million in Pension Credit likely to be claimed.
Unclaimed Pension Credit is estimated to be worth £246.5 million a year in London alone, with eligible households each missing out on an average over £3,500 every year.
The Government provides Pension Credit to people of state pension age on low incomes. In addition to providing extra money for older Londoners on low incomes, receipt of Pension Credit also unlocks a range of further support, including help with energy and council tax bills, free NHS dental treatment, Housing Benefit for renters and free TV licences for those aged 75 or above.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This has been a hugely successful campaign that has secured more than £8 million in unclaimed benefits for older Londoners on the lowest incomes, who are disproportionately feeling the cost of living squeeze.
“I am pleased that we will now be extending the scheme to thousands more older Londoners who may not know they are eligible to receive Pension Credit or how to claim it. This is part of my commitment to continue building a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”
