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Martin Lewis: 900,000 eligible pensioners not claiming Pension Credit

Martin Lewis said about 900,000 of 2.3m eligible pensioners miss out on Pension Credit, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced changes to the state pension triple lock.

2 outlets · 1L · 0C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: Daily Mirror
Image: Daily Express

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The story, neutrally told

Martin Lewis said that, by the government's own figures, 900,000 of the poorest pensioners out of 2.3 million eligible are not receiving Pension Credit. The comments followed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's announcement of changes to the state pension triple lock, which the Mirror says is intended to free up funds for an NHS-style care service in England. Lewis said fixing Pension Credit should be the first priority if the triple lock is scrapped, saying many hundreds of thousands of the poorest pensioners miss out on what they are entitled to.

Burnham said the triple lock is not being scrapped but changed, so that the pension's link to earnings "should be considered over a longer time frame, not every year"; the Express says the changes start from April 2030 and that Burnham faced criticism over them. Pension Credit is a tax-free, means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age on low incomes. It is not paid automatically, so eligible people must apply. Guarantee Credit tops weekly income up to £238 for a single person and £363.25 for a couple; the Mirror says the benefit is worth an average of £3,900 a year, or about £325 a month.

Lewis gave a rule of thumb: a single person under £238 a week is likely to qualify and under £255 is worth checking, while a couple under £363 is likely to qualify and under £380 is worth checking. Lewis stressed this does not guarantee eligibility. People can check online at gov.uk/pension-credit or call 0800 99 1234 (Northern Ireland 0808 100 6165). Getting Pension Credit can open access to a free TV licence for those aged 75 and over, council tax help and NHS dental and eye care support.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left1 outlet

Framing
The Mirror leads with Lewis's figure and the £3,900 a year at stake, framing it as a call on Burnham and a practical guide to claiming.
Emphasis
Money at stake, detailed rates and supplements, the full Lewis thread and how to apply.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not report Burnham's response that the triple lock is changed, not scrapped.
Charged language
“Shamefully”
For example
“Martin Lewis has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to address a crucial benefit” — Daily Mirror
“Shamefully many 100,000s of the poorest pensions still miss out” — Daily Mirror

Centre0 outlets

No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Right1 outlet

Framing
The Express leads with the advice to check eligibility and ties it to the triple lock row, including criticism of Burnham and Burnham's reply.
Emphasis
The triple lock change from April 2030 and Burnham's rebuttal, alongside the eligibility advice.
Leaves out or plays down
Gives fewer details on supplements and on Lewis's income rules of thumb; does not mention the social care funding rationale.
Charged language
“faced criticism”
For example
“Andy Burnham faced criticism for announcing changes to the triple lock from April 2030” — Daily Express
“Mr Burnham said triple lock is not being scrapped, but changed” — Daily Express