Almost 18,000 households in Kent could be missing out on a combined £68m in unclaimed Pension Credit, according to the county council.
The local authority has urged pensioners to check if they are eligible for the state benefit and sign up as soon as possible, with a reminder that it will also make them eligible for the winter fuel payment.
Kent County Council leader Roger Gough said: ‘The chancellor’s decision to cut winter fuel payments to around 10 million pensioners in the UK means there is every likelihood that some older people will begin to ration their fuel use and reduce their spending on essentials to manage the financial impacts.’
He added: ‘Eligible Kent pensioners could be missing out on up to an unclaimed £68m in the county.
‘This extra income would take away some of the worry and anxiety about those bills and improve the quality of life of so many older people in Kent.’
