Martin Lewis has issued a warning to those who were born before 1958 as they could be missing out on a whopping £3800.
The financial expert has been informing people of state pension age who might not be receiving the Attendance Allowance that they might be entitled to the payout from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Martin’s Money Saving Expert team revealed that an astonishing £1.7 billion remains unclaimed by 850,000 state pensioners. They encourage those born in or before 1958, aged 66 or older, to apply.
Highlighting that over a million people might be unaware of this benefit, the well-known BBC and ITV personality emphasised how “massively underclaimed” Attendance Allowance is.
Alarmingly, analysis of 2023 data by Policy in Practice indicates that approximately 1.1 million eligible seniors are missing out on the payment.
Sharing more details, Mr Lewis urged: “So whether it’s you, or someone you know who may qualify, take two minutes to read this.
“Last week, Andrea sent us this email.
“She disclosed: ‘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’.
“Not to be left out, another lady, self-named Christine, gushed: ‘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’,” reports Birmingham Live.
The minimum amount of cash MSE says you get is the lower rate of £73 a week which equates to £3,778 a year.
There are others who will 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 financial experts have also urged pensioners to claim what they’re entitled to.
Finance expert at Ocean Finance, Fiona Peake 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.
“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.”