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Martin Lewis' MSE warning as concerning '£32 billion' left unclaimed in DWP benefits
by Lauren Haughey · Manchester Evening NewsA staggering '£23 billion in benefits' goes unclaimed each year in the UK, say experts at Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert (MSE). Now, the team of financially savvy gurus are issuing a crucial alert, encouraging people to stop dismissing the idea that they may be eligible for benefits and to check their entitlements.
They point out: "The inflation figures that the Government normally uses to calculate next April's benefit rises have just been announced - it's dropped to 1.7% this month, lower than figures in recent months (though do note the Govt's not officially confirmed the changes yet).
"So it's a good time to remind you that BILLIONS in benefits goes unclaimed each year - most by workers or pensioners who have paid into the system for yonks and are in need of help, but think 'benefits aren't for me' or 'I won't qualify'."
It may come as a surprise that Universal Credit and Attendance Allowance are among the top unclaimed government benefits, according to MSE. Essentially, Universal Credit is designed for those unemployed or on low income under State Pension age.
Meanwhile, Attendance Allowance provides financial assistance for individuals at State Pension age who are living with long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities. These are both schemes run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
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Unbelievably, MSE suggests that a concerning 1.1 million pensioners miss out on 'at least £3,778 a year' in Attendance allowance, while 1.4 million are overlooking an 'average of up to £5,800 a year' in Universal Credit.
For Universal Credit, MSE especially urged households with a £35,000 annual income to check their eligibility, in addition to parents with high childcare costs and rent receiving a combined total of around £60,000 per year.
In addition to this, MSE said that hundreds of thousands of people are missing out on Carer's Allowance, Pension Credit and the Housing Benefit too. But council tax support trumped them all, as a concerning 2.25 million overlook £1,500 per year in benefits, according to the experts.
Even free school meals, worth £490 per year for under-18s, are left untouched by 470,000 families, with many Universal Credit claimants reportedly among them. The newsletter adds that other parents also don't realise that you need to re-register at the start of every school year.
The experts continue: "Claiming benefits is often a gateway to other discounts, such as broadband social tariffs, so if you have success claiming above, check if you're then eligible. Simply being on a low income could qualify you for a water social tariff, so check that too, even if you're not eligible for benefits."
For more information on the following benefits and eligibility criteria, please see the following Government links: