State pensioners on their own handed £238 DWP cash boost

State pensioners on their own handed £238 DWP cash boost Pensioners who are eligible can benefit from some extra cash. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Claire Schofield 10:30, Sun, Oct 18, 2026 Updated: 10:35, Sun, Oct 18, 2026 The DWP is urging pensioners to check their eligibility for Pension Credit (Image: Getty) Single state pensioners living alone on a low income can get a cash boost of up to £238 per week with a single claim to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The money is available to pensioners in England, Scotland and Wales who are eligible for Pension Credit , a DWP benefit that is paid separately to the State Pension. In the 2026 to 2027 tax year, the benefit can top up your weekly income to £238 if you’re single, so those entitled to the full amount could get up to £12,376 per year from the DWP, in addition to their State Pension. Of course, this figure is the maximum amount you can get per week and as Pension Credit is a top-up to your weekly income, the exact amount you'll get may differ based on individual circumstances. According to the DWP , Pension Credit is worth more than £4,500 per year on average and provides essential help with everyday living costs. But hundreds of thousands of pensioners may be missing out on this vital support as they haven't checked their eligibility. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Automatic £200 payments confirmed for state pensioners under 80 DWP announces new ‘12 months’ rule for spending pension Get personal finance news, money saving tips and advice plus selcted offers and competitions I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . The DWP has this week announced it is sending out letters to 660,000 pensioner households from October in a bid to boost Pension Credit uptake. The letters will be posted through letterboxes is seven areas of the UK with a high proportion of low-income pensioners, including Glasgow, Powys, Stockton-on-Tees, inland Cornwall, Birmingham, East Suffolk and Manchester, to ensure eligible households don't miss out. Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: "Far too many pensioners are missing out on support they’re entitled to. Pension Credit is worth more than £4,500 a year on average and can make a real difference to people’s finances, while also opening the door to help with bills and other everyday costs. "If you think you might be eligible, it’s worth checking. We want to make sure pensioners get the support they’re entitled to and don’t miss out on money that could help them in retirement." Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Many pensioners may not realise that Pension Credit can be claimed even if you have other income, savings or you own your own home, and could be missing out on support they are entitled to as a result. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT But it's well worth checking your eligibility as it’s not just the income top-ups that make Pension Credit worth claiming as the benefit also unlocks access to a wealth of other financial perks, including help with housing costs, a council tax reduction, free TV licences and help with NHS treatment costs, among others. When you apply for Pension Credit, your income is calculated, which includes your State Pension , other pensions, earnings from employment and self-employment and most social security benefits. You can use the DWP ’s Pension Credit calculator to get an estimate of how much you could get and you can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age. You can apply any time after you reach State Pension age but your application can only be backdated by three months, so you’ll get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time. Around 1.4m pensioner households are already benefiting from Pension Credit and last year, the DWP saw an extra 33,500 applications following its biggest ever Pension Credit awareness campaign. The Department has now launched a new drive this month to ensure that eligible pensioners don’t miss out. Morgan Vine, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, added: "Our analysis found that in 2023/4 more than a million older people on low incomes who are eligible for Pension Credit did not receive it, missing out on a combined £2.5 billion of life-changing support. "Every day we hear heartbreaking stories of older people enduring financial hardship because they aren’t aware of Pension Credit, or that they qualify for the support. We welcome the DWP’s commitment to raising awareness and understanding of Pension Credit and look forward to continuing to play our part to tackle the issue of low take-up." Pension Credit Andy Burnham State Pension DWP Benefits Cost of living Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments