Council contacts hundreds of South Cambridgeshire residents who should be claiming Pension Credit

South Cambridgeshire District Council has written to nearly 300 households believed to be missing out on the Winter Fuel Payment.

Following recent Government changes, access to the Winter Fuel Payment is restricted, with only pensioners receiving a means-tested benefit, such as Pension Credit, able to receive it.

As part of its continued cost-of-living support for residents, South Cambridgeshire District Council is using innovative software to better target support and advice to residents on a low income in more of a proactive way. The software uses different pieces of data that residents have already provided to the Council.

Using the data it already holds in more innovative ways, the Council identified 287 local households that are eligible for Pension Credit but not claiming it. A person can claim Pension Credit if they are receiving the State Pension and on a low income. According to the Department for Work and Pensions, the average Pension Credit award is around £3,900 per year.

All these households have received a letter to let them know of this information and explain how to apply – which then opens the door to receiving the Winter Fuel Payment. A follow up reminder is being sent at the start of December to ensure as many people as possible get the support they are entitled to.

The Council is appealing to all local pensioners to check their entitlements as it is estimated that around 880,000 UK households eligible for Pension Credit currently miss out on claiming.

South Cambridgeshire residents who have received a letter are also speaking of how beneficial they have found the advice.  A 79-year-old woman, who lives in Longstanton, said: “Before receiving the letter from the Council I hadn’t seen anything about Pension Credit. I didn’t know I was eligible for the payment and didn’t know that I could still receive the Winter Fuel Payment. I’m really grateful to the Council for being so proactive with this as it will be a great help to me.”

A 69-year-old from Longstanton explained the difference it will make to him: “I pay £130 a month for my gas and electric but I’ve still found myself in over £200 of arrears before winter has even begun. I’ve had to cut right back on my heating and only take lukewarm showers to try and save money so when I received this letter, I followed it up straight away. I didn’t know I could get anything, but after checking online it said I should be getting over £2,300 a year extra in Pension Credit. The application process was very straightforward so I wouldn’t want that to put anyone off either. I completed it in under 10 minutes.”

A 77-year-old from Great Shelford commented “I was disappointed when I thought I was going to be losing the Winter Fuel Payment. I had checked before about claiming Pension Credit but didn’t think I was eligible. It’s such a complicated system so the Council sending me this letter helped a lot. I’m delighted to know that I’ll still get the Winter Fuel Payment with this Pension Credit, as well as getting a free TV Licence too. I’d really encourage any pensioner to see if they can claim this because I had no idea I could.”

Eligibility criteria

You can now only get a Winter Fuel Payment if you are over the State Pension age, and receiving one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit (for example, through a joint claim with your partner).

You must have been eligible between 16 and 22 September 2024, known as the ‘qualifying week’, to receive the Winter Fuel Payment this winter. It is however still possible to receive the payment this winter if you apply for Pension Credit by 21 December 2024 and backdate your application to 21 September 2024, which is within the qualifying week. As you can only backdate an application by a maximum of three months, you must do this by 21 December.

To see details on how to apply for Pension Credit, visit the Gov.uk website and for additional support to apply, email the District’s local partner Hope CIC at office@hopeagainst.org or call them on 07474 725477 and they will be able to assist with an application and answer any questions.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Henry Batchelor, said: “The Low-Income Family Tracker software is a game changer for us. It helps us be far more data-driven in our approach to trying to reach those people we know are missing out on benefits they are eligible for. Due to the acute issues with Pension Credit, we prioritised this piece of work as the first task for the new project. Ensuring you claim the Winter Fuel Payment if you are entitled is not just about financial support—it's about helping ensure you’re warm and well during the coldest months. We think there are many other local households eligible – as well as those we’ve been able to write to so far, so check your entitlements now.

“We have also been able to use the new software and data we already hold to target additional support to those that are just missing out on receiving Pension Credit this winter. We identified 85 households whose income was just over the threshold for being able to claim. These households will all be invited to receive an electric blanket free of charge from the Council to help try and reduce their heating costs this winter. And just as importantly, they will also be offered a free income maximisation appointment with a Council advisor to see if there is further support we can offer."

Find out about cost-of-living support in South Cambridgeshire on the District Council website.