UK State Pensioners might be able to claim extra financial support this bone-chilling winter. As recent slashes to Winter Fuel Payment narrow down the number of elderly people who qualify for additional help with their heating expenses, there are still several benefits and steps that could substantially raise the income of those eligible.

This can involve claiming a benefit designed to supplement low incomes, which nearly a million pensioners might be entitled to, while also a voluntary contribution to national insurance could inch individuals closer to meeting the state pension criteria. Discussing the available support, Minister for Pensions Emma Reynolds stated: “As we head into the winter months, I want to ensure the most vulnerable in our society are getting the support they need, and that’s why we have a range of measures targeted at helping low-income households.”

Further details on how to potentially increase your state pension are outlined below.

National Insurance credits for grandparents

In a little-known credit that could potentially boost your state pension by as much as £11,000, UK grandparents may be eligible for what’s known as Specified Adult Childcare (SACC). Despite this lucrative opportunity, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures indicate a mere 150,000 applications have been lodged for SACCs over the preceding eight years, even though there are over 12 million State Pension claimants in the country.

The official government advice is that you might be able to claim these credits if you fulfill two key criteria:

• you are an eligible family member who provided care for a child
  aged under 12
• their parent or main carer does not need the credits themselves

If you’re a family member who has provided care for a child under 12, and their parent or main carer doesn’t need the credits themselves, you may be eligible to apply for certain credits. However, Specified Adult Childcare (SACC) applications can only be made after October 31 of the tax year you want to claim for, as checks will need to be made if the parent or main carer of the child has a qualifying year for National Insurance reasons.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit is designed to help those over the State Pension age on a low income by boosting their annual income by around £3,900 on average. It’s estimated that 880,000 people are eligible for Pension Credit but aren’t applying.

Pension Credit comes in two forms: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit, you must be of State Pension age (currently 66).

Your weekly income should be less than the minimum amount the UK Government deems necessary for living. This minimum is set at £218.15 for single individuals and £332.95 for couples.

These amounts may be higher if you’re disabled, a carer, or have certain housing costs.

Boost qualifying years

Pensioners could boost their national insurance qualifying years by paying voluntary class 3 contributions. Typically, these additional payments can be made within a six-year timeframe of the tax year. For instance, if you wanted to fill a gap in 2022/23, you have until the end of the tax year in 2029.

To qualify for the state pension, you need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record. Adding to this can help increase your payment amount to the full rate, which currently stands at £221.20 a week.

Full details on boosting qualifying years can be found on gov.uk here.