When most people hear “DWP review”, they assume it’s about catching overpayments. But a senior DWP official has told MPs that new checks on Pension Credit claims are turning up something else too: pensioners who’ve been getting less than they should.
“We have just started targeted case review in Pension Credit, which is uncovering quite a lot of underpayments as well as overpayments,” Neil Couling, DWP’s Director General for Services and Fraud, told the Work and Pensions Committee on November 4.
That’s a big deal, because Pension Credit isn’t just a top-up on its own. It also unlocks other help, like the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments, help with housing costs and, for those aged 75 and over, a free TV licence. Here’s what officials said, and what you can do now.
What DWP officials told MPs
The comments came during a Work and Pensions Committee session looking at DWP’s annual report and accounts for 2025/26.
- Reviews have only just started. Targeted case reviews are new for Pension Credit, but they’re already finding payments that were wrong.
- Errors go both ways. DWP’s Permanent Secretary, Dame Sarah Healey, said the reviews “will identify underpayment as well as overpayment,” and that the department is expanding them.
- More people are claiming, but take-up is stuck. Couling said the number of people getting Pension Credit had risen by 33,000. But only around two-thirds of those eligible actually claim, and he said that’s been roughly the case since the benefit started 25 years ago.
What officials didn’t say is just as important. They gave no figures for how many claims will be reviewed, how many underpayments have been found, or how much money people are owed.
Why people miss out
Liberal Democrat MP John Milne raised the wider problem of unclaimed help, pointing to around £3.7 billion in benefits people are entitled to but not getting. That figure covers all benefits, not just Pension Credit.
Couling’s explanation was frank. “At the heart of the unfulfilled eligibility numbers … is a lack of confidence that if I tell the DWP something, my benefit will go down when it should go up,” he said.
In other words, many people avoid telling DWP about changes because they’re worried it’ll cost them, even when the change would actually mean more money. Disability benefits were given as one example: if you start getting Attendance Allowance or another disability benefit, your Pension Credit could go up.
Changes that could mean you’re owed more
If any of these apply and you haven’t told DWP, your Pension Credit might be too low:
- you or your partner started getting a disability benefit, such as Attendance Allowance, DLA or PIP
- you started caring for someone, or someone stopped caring for you
- your rent or housing costs went up
- your income went down, for example a private pension or earnings stopped
- your savings dropped
- someone moved out of your home
You should report changes that lower your award too, of course. But the message from DWP’s own officials is clear: don’t stay quiet out of fear. Reporting a change can push your payment up.
Not claiming at all? Check now
About a third of people who could get Pension Credit don’t claim it. It’s worth checking if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income, even if you have some savings or own your home.
- Use the Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK to see if you might qualify.
- Claim online or by phone. The Pension Credit claim line is 0800 99 1234.
- Ask about backdating. A new claim can usually be backdated by up to three months if you qualified during that time.
If DWP reviews your claim
You might be contacted as part of a targeted case review. If you are:
- respond by the deadline in the letter, so your payments aren’t affected
- have recent bank statements and details of any pensions or savings ready
- check the decision you get afterwards, and if you think it’s wrong, ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month
- get free help from Age UK or Citizens Advice if you’re unsure
The early sign from these reviews is encouraging: some pensioners may finally get money they’ve been missing out on.
Sources: Yahoo News UK, Brit Brief and GOV.UK: Pension Credit.
Maria is a dedicated news writer covering the latest UK updates on DWP, PIP, State Pension Triple Lock, Child Benefit, Universal Credit, and driving licence regulations. She focuses on explaining government announcements, benefit eligibility, payment changes, pension increases, and new regulations in a clear and easy-to-understand way.