Age UK and Independent Age, two prominent charities, are advocating for the Government to implement a comprehensive campaign to encourage pensioners to claim all benefits they are entitled to. They assert that a 100% take-up of pension credit, housing benefit, and council tax reduction could lift 280,000 older individuals out of poverty.
The charities also suggest that an additional 770,000 people could see an increase in their income, though they might still remain below the poverty line. They have urged the Government to consider an 'all-entitlements take-up strategy', noting that current efforts often focus on individual benefits.
Despite previous awareness campaigns, the take-up rate for pension credit stands at 62%, meaning 900,000 pensioner households are missing out on £2.4 billion each year. Similarly, 270,000 eligible households are not claiming £1.3 billion in housing benefit, despite a higher take-up rate of 83%.
Furthermore, 1.65 million people are not receiving £2 billion in council tax reductions, with only half of those eligible claiming. Attendance Allowance, a benefit for older people needing care, has a 69% take-up rate, resulting in 1.1 million people missing out on £5.2 billion.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman stated that efforts are underway to ensure benefits reach those entitled, citing a pension credit take-up campaign in 2025 that resulted in 33,500 additional awards. They also mentioned the £1 billion Crisis and Resilience Fund available to councils for benefit support checks.