A scheme that has helped Londoners receive an additional £8.4 million in unclaimed Pension Credit is to be rolled out to 10,000 more older Londoners on lower incomes.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, together with London boroughs, launched a campaign in February to ensure older Londoners do not miss out on receiving all of the Pension Credit they are entitled to during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

More than 8,200 older households were targeted and the Mayor today revealed that the campaign resulted in 2,165 successful claims from eligible Londoners, amounting to just under £8.4 million (£8,398,429) in direct additional annual income – an average of £3,879 per claim.

The campaign, in partnership with welfare and data analytics company Policy in Practice, saw eligible older Londoners in 17 London boroughs receive targeted letters to make them aware that they should be claiming this valuable benefit.

Following the success of this initial phase, the Mayor has announced that he will be expanding the campaign this autumn to include up to 23 boroughs. It is estimated that these boroughs will contact a total of over 10,000 households, with up to £9 million in Pension Credit likely to be claimed.

Unclaimed Pension Credit is estimated to be worth £246.5 million a year in London alone, with eligible households each missing out on an average over £3,500 every year.

The Government provides Pension Credit to people of state pension age on low incomes. In addition to providing extra money for older Londoners on low incomes, receipt of Pension Credit also unlocks a range of further support, including help with energy and council tax bills, free NHS dental treatment, Housing Benefit for renters and free TV licences for those aged 75 or above.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This has been a hugely successful campaign that has secured more than £8 million in unclaimed benefits for older Londoners on the lowest incomes, who are disproportionately feeling the cost of living squeeze.

“I am pleased that we will now be extending the scheme to thousands more older Londoners who may not know they are eligible to receive Pension Credit or how to claim it. This is part of my commitment to continue building a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”

Cllr Claire Holland, London Councils’ Executive Member for Communities said: “Amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, Pension Credit can be vital for keeping low-income pensioners out of poverty.

“This campaign is a great example of what can be achieved through collaboration and intelligent use of data. Great progress has been made, but there are still struggling Londoners missing out on this crucial support. The expansion of the campaign will help ensure more pensioners receive the Pension Credit they are entitled to.”

Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said: “We are delighted to have helped put £8.3 million into the pockets of 2,165 pensioners across London. We are thrilled to have helped these households, who will now get almost £4,000 in additional support every year following this Pension Credit take up campaign.

“We welcome the Mayor’s decision to expand the campaign into the autumn, continuing to grow the incomes of Londoners during this ongoing cost of living crisis. It’s heartening to know that the results achieved in the capital are easily replicable across the country.”

Abi Wood, CEO of Age UK London said: “Receiving Pension Credit makes a significant difference to the lives of older Londoners on low incomes. It can be transformative for many, making life a little easier and crucially opening the doors to vital additional support. We are delighted that this scheme has been so successful and even more effective than anticipated. This success is particularly welcome in London, where we have some of the highest poverty rates in the country for people of pension age. We are very pleased that the Mayor is expanding the scheme. For too long, too many people entitled to Pension Credit have not been claiming it and so it’s great to see that this vital work will continue.” Photo by U.S. Embassy London, Wikimedia commons.