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![\"Pension](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Untitled-design-1-e1749297433790.png\" "\\"Pension")
<\/p>\nMore than 4,400 older Londoners have claimed up to \u00a321.5million in \u201cvital\u201d Pension Credit in the last year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has learned \u2013 with the recipients pleading for those eligible to take advantage.<\/p>\n
City Hall is today (Wednesday) expanding a campaign to help Londoners secure the financial support they are entitled to after new figures showed that Londoners will miss out on almost \u00a34.1billion in unclaimed benefits this year, including \u00a3326million in Pension Credit.<\/p>\n
Pension Credit, introduced in 2003, tops up the income of older Britons who earn less than \u00a3230 a week as an individual, or \u00a3350 a week as a couple.<\/p>\n
It is thought that thousands of Londoners are still missing out on the benefit despite the Mayor of London\u2019s Pension Credit campaign assisting 9,000 households in the capital to claim it since February 2023.<\/p>\n
The awareness campaign so far has helped pensioners like Peter Power alleviate their financial troubles.<\/p>\n
The 66-year-old Croydon resident credited Age UK \u2013 and particularly Megan Palser, a Community Support Manager at the Sutton branch \u2013 for helping him claim the benefit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had developed some mental health issues and anxiety and with my pension age coming up, I tried to go online to access the forms but couldn\u2019t manage it,\u201d he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went to Age UK and they helped me by doing it all for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey set me up so the Pension Credit then comes automatically \u2013 I had no idea about what it was.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s helped hugely, it\u2019s been a great help. It makes it a lot easier to pay bills \u2013 I have no financial worries.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt meant I could replace my oven and fridge-freezer. I\u2019ve also got plenty of new clothes now to prepare me for winter to keep me nice and warm.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo people who haven\u2019t claimed \u2013 go to Age UK to learn about it \u2013 I couldn\u2019t have done it without them. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019d still be here without them, it was a very tough time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sonia Powell , a retired 75-year-old nurse, told the LDRS that her Pension Credit application had initially been rejected before she sought help with Age UK.<\/p>\n
\u201cI retired at 71 and was finding it difficult to make ends meet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA friend recommended I go to Age UK and see how they can help. I wasn\u2019t expecting anything but received a surprise to find out I was eligible to claim Pension Credit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had previously applied but was told I wasn\u2019t entitled. Age UK helped me with all the papers and sat with me while I spoke to the relevant people from the government department.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very pleased.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had used up my ISA already to pay my rent, council tax and bills before this came \u2013 it has helped me enormously.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to go to bed worrying about my finances and rent. I couldn\u2019t sleep due to the impending bills.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor anyone who is struggling who is my age, go and speak to people like Age UK and see if you can claim it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The borough with the highest number of Pension Credit claimants in the last year is Haringey, in North London, followed by Hackney and Newham. On the other end of the scale, just 61 individuals have claimed the benefit in Merton since last October.<\/p>\n
Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, told the LDRS that he was \u201cproud\u201d of the campaign but that it was \u201cshocking\u201d that billions in benefits still go unclaimed across London.<\/p>\n
He said the success of the Pension Credit awareness drive has prompted City Hall to take similaer action with low-income parents and disabled Londoners.<\/p>\n
\u201cFar too many people are still missing out on the vital support that they are entitled to,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m extending my campaign to help reach more Londoners on low incomes and urging Londoners to use City Hall\u2019s Cost of Living Hub to check their entitlements to ensure they or their loved ones don\u2019t miss out.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we build a better, fairer London for everyone, I will continue to work with boroughs, charities and communities to ensure more Londoners get the help they need to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abi Wood, CEO of Age UK London, added: \u201cThis campaign has been highly successful in reaching the older Londoners that are eligible to receive more support and assisting them get that help through the Age UK network in London.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will help pull older people in London out of poverty. There is still a lot of work to be done, with almost a quarter of older people over the age of 80 living in poverty in London and we are pleased to hear that the Mayor is extending the campaign to further help Londoners.\u201d<\/p>\n
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