Thousands of pensioners could be missing out on a £227-a-week benefit boost that also opens the door to free TV licences, help with council tax, housing costs and NHS treatment.

Fresh figures show applications for Pension Credit have slumped by more than a third over the past year, despite ministers urging older people to check whether they qualify. Department for Work and Pensions data analysed by Which? reveals there were 209,735 Pension Credit applications between February 2025 and February 2026 – down 36% from the 326,842 received during the previous 12 months.

The sharp fall comes after a surge in claims when the Government linked Winter Fuel Payments to Pension Credit, prompting a major awareness campaign.

Applications briefly hit around 10,000 a week, but have since fallen back to the long-term average of about 4,000 a week. Consumer group Which? fears many older people are still wrongly assuming they are not entitled to the benefit.

Owning your own home, having savings or receiving a private pension does not automatically prevent you from qualifying.

Research commissioned by the DWP found many successful claimants only discovered they were eligible after submitting what they believed was a long-shot application.

Those aged over 75 were particularly likely to discover the benefit by chance, while people aged between 66 and 74 were more likely to hear about it directly from the DWP.

Worth up to £227 a week

Pension Credit is designed to top up the income of people over State Pension age who are living on a low income.

The Guarantee Credit element currently increases weekly income to at least:

• £227.10 for a single pensioner
• £346.60 for a couple

From April 2026 these amounts are due to rise to:

• £238.00 for a single person
• £365.25 for a couple

Some older pensioners may also qualify for Savings Credit if they reached State Pension age before April 2016.

A benefit that unlocks thousands of pounds of extra help

Experts say the real value of Pension Credit is that it acts as a so-called “passport benefit”, opening access to a wide range of additional financial support.

Depending on personal circumstances, claimants could receive:

• Housing Benefit to help pay rent.
• Support for Mortgage Interest loans for homeowners struggling with mortgage payments.
• Council Tax Reduction from their local authority.
• Cold Weather Payments when freezing temperatures hit.
• Discounted water bills and broadband social tariffs.
• A free TV licence for households where someone is aged 75 or over and Pension Credit is claimed.
• Free NHS dental treatment.
• Help towards the cost of glasses and contact lenses.
• Assistance with travel costs for hospital appointments.

Some claimants can also receive extra Pension Credit payments if they are carers or have disabilities.

The Carer Addition is currently worth £46.40 a week, rising to £48.15 from April 2026.

Families where a pensioner is responsible for a child may also receive additional payments worth up to £77.78 a week per child, while those arranging a funeral could qualify for help towards burial or cremation costs.

Why people are missing out

The DWP found there were three main reasons people eventually decided to apply:

• They were struggling to make ends meet on a low income.
• Their circumstances had changed because of bereavement or ill health.
• They were encouraged to claim by family, friends or an advice organisation.

Which? says many pensioners continue to overlook the benefit because they assume modest savings or a private pension automatically make them ineligible.

In reality, many homeowners and people with some retirement income still qualify for support.

With claims now back to pre-campaign levels, charities and consumer groups are urging older people who think they may qualify to check their entitlement, warning that Pension Credit can be worth far more than the headline weekly payment once all the additional support is taken into account. More details here.