'Martin Lewis' MSE tip helped mum get Pension Credit - I thought she didn't qualify'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A follower of Martin Lewis' MoneySaving Expert (MSE) has expressed gratitude to the financial experts for their advice, after her mother was awarded Pension Credit. 'Lucinda' detailed in an email that she initially believed her parent wasn't eligible for the Government benefit as they were just 'over the threshold'.

However, after perusing top tips from MSE's insightful newsletter, she decided it might be worth a try and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. "I saw Martin's email saying: 'If you're only just over, try it anyway'," she explained. " A (long) call to the DWP later and mum told me she'll get Pension Credit. "My dad died earlier on this year, so not only has mum been going through it, but money is much tighter." While a staggering 2.2million people are thought to be eligible for Pension Credit, MSE estimates that 880,000 don't apply.

The financial experts argue this is a significant error, as many vulnerable individuals could be missing out on an average of £75 per week/ £3,900 per annum.

However, this sum will depend on what type of Pension Credit you receive, as it typically comes in two parts. The first is Guarantee Credit - described by AgeUK as a weekly income top-up to a 'guaranteed minimum level'.