More pensioners could be claiming benefits in East Devon

EDDC team working to ensure pensioners are claiming support

More pensioners in East Devon could be claiming some form of government financial support.

A district council tean that supports pensioners to check whether they are claiming the benefits to which they are entitled saw its caseload drop recently.

The benefits and financial resilience team had 3,658 cases for pensioners in April 2022 , but this had fallen slightly to 3,513 (four per cent) 18 months later.

The number continued falling into this year, but has stabilised at around 3,456.

This does not necessarily mean that fewer pensioners need the financial support. It could mean that a greater number are not claiming it in spite of being eligible.

The issue arose at a full council meeting, where leader Cllr Paul Arnott (Liberal Democrat, Coly Valley) told members what the council was doing around cuts to the winter fuel allowance.

A motion was submitted to the meeting by Cllr Mike Goodman (Conservative, Sidmouth Sidford) urging the Cllr Arnott and chief executive Tracy Hendren to write to chancellor Rachel Reeves to ask her to rethink the policy.

“The council had already committed to carry out a pensionable age take-up campaign for housing benefit and council tax reduction and this is because of our officers had seen a steady decline in our pensionable age caseload ironically,” he said.

“It is nationally recognised that this cohort are less likely to access benefits that they are entitled to receive, and it’s thought this can be to do with a combination of pride, worrying about what other people think, and a lack of knowledge around benefits or the qualifying criteria.”

Cllr Arnott said the campaign to ensure pensioners claim their entitlements now widened to reflect the removal of winter fuel payments for those who don’t receive pension credit.

Furthermore, he said the council had identified 221 households who might be entitled to the credit but weren’t receiving it, while around 1,100 households were just over the threshold but on low incomes.

“Within that 1,100 number, 225 claim some form of disability benefit, which is of particular concern due to the increased cost those individuals will face trying to keep warm this winter,” he added.

Cllr Arnott said the council’s team is contacting these people to help them claim more benefits, with support also available from East Devon Citizens’ Advice Bureau to help with filling in forms.

Pensioners could also be eligible for assistance through the household support fund, a pot of money councils receive from central government to assist people on low incomes struggling to afford essential items.