Martin Lewis has issued a stark warning to individuals born before 1958 as they could be missing out on a substantial sum of £3,800. The financial guru has been alerting state pension age individuals who may not be receiving the Attendance Allowance that they could be eligible for this payout from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Astonishingly, Martin’s Money Saving Expert team revealed that a staggering £1.7 billion remains unclaimed by 850,000 state pensioners. They are urging those born in or before 1958, aged 66 or older, to apply.
The well-known BBC and ITV personality highlighted how “massively underclaimed” Attendance Allowance is, with over a million people potentially unaware of this benefit. Worryingly, Policy in Practice’s analysis of 2023 data suggests that approximately 1.1 million eligible seniors are missing out on the payment, reports The Express.
Mr Lewis urged: “So whether it’s you, or someone you know who may qualify, take two minutes to read this.” He shared an email from Andrea last week, who said: “I never thought I’d qualify [for Attendance Allowance], but I do. I got £1,260 backdated and £290 every four weeks. Thanks for all your work.”
Another lady, self-named Christine, also shared her experience: “Applied for Attendance Allowance for my husband and today the first payment was made (even before a letter arrived telling us. He’s entitled to the upper limit, which is even more than we could’ve hoped for.”
The minimum amount of cash MSE suggests you could receive is the lower rate of £73 a week, which equates to £3,778 a year. There are others who may receive even more if they require additional assistance or have less than 12 months to live.
Mr Lewis stated: “It isn’t means-tested”, indicating that your financial situation doesn’t matter. He explained: “It’s for state pensioners who need some daily living help. With AA, your finances are irrelevant.” Other finance experts have also encouraged pensioners to claim what they’re entitled to.
Fiona Peake, a finance expert at Ocean Finance, told Mail Online: “The cost-of-living crisis has hit older people hard. Aside from immediate financial relief, claiming Pensions Credit can help protect you against rising costs. So whether it’s you, or someone you know who may qualify, take two minutes to read this.”
With the energy price cap increasing once again at the start of January and food inflation remaining stubbornly high, claiming what you’re entitled to is a smart move. If you think you might qualify – or know someone who could – take five minutes to check.
She added: “Many people assume that claiming Pension Credit is a complicated process or that they won’t qualify because they have savings or a small private pension. In reality, it’s a straightforward process, and the rules are more generous than you might think.
“It’s always worth checking, even if you only receive a small amount of Pension Credit, it could unlock other support worth thousands of pounds.”
Attendance Allowance is financial support for certain individuals receiving the State Pension
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