Pensioners in Fife are missing out on more than £17,603,000 in unclaimed pension credit, a leading charity has revealed.
Independent Age estimate that £17,603,000 million in person credit is going unclaimed in Fife amid the Tory government doing virtually nothing to ensure pensioners get the help that they need.
Across Scotland more than £300million is going unclaimed by 123,000 households.
In Fife £5,717,000 is going unclaimed in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, £5,398,000 in Glenrothes, £3,530,000 in Dunfermline and West Fife, and £2,958,000 in North East Fife totalling £17,603,000.
The last Labour Government cut pensioner poverty, but the Tories have disgracefully allowed it to go up on their watch.
It is shocking that Fife’s poorest pensioners are missing out on more than £17.603 million in vital support.
The Tories’ idea for encouraging people to apply for Pension Credit – an ‘online toolkit’ – would be laughable if this wasn’t so serious.
Across the UK the poorest pensioners have missed out on £7 billion of Pension Credit since the last election, which means vulnerable people are being left without much-needed income. The Tories must right this wrong immediately and do more to increase take-up of Pension Credit.
If you want to read the report by Independent Age: ‘Credit where it’s due: Ending the £3.5 billion Pension Credit scandal’ you can find it here – https://www.independentage.org/credit-where-its-due-pension-credit
