People of state pension age have been urged to check if they can get a free TV licence which usually costs £169.50 a year.

Thousands of people are thought to be needlessly paying for their TV licence, when over-75s who claim Pension Credit can get it for free.

You need to be of state pension age, which is currently 66, to claim the benefit, which provides access to many freebies and discounts.

A DWP update on X, formerly Twitter, posted over the weekend, reads: “With #PensionCredit you could get additional financial help, plus other support including a free TV licence for over 75s”.

Some 850,000 people are thought to be missing out on Pension Credit in total, which can increase a person’s yearly income by over £3,000.

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After the 6.7 percent benefits increase this month, Pension Credit provides a weekly top up for single claimants up to £218.15 a week while the couples top up is £332.95 a week.

Claimants can get extra payments such as if they have a severe disability or if they care for another adult.

Claimants also get access to these means of support:

• Housing benefit if you rent the property you live in
• Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
• Council tax discount
• Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
• Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
• A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house.

State pension payments also increased 8.5 percent from the start of the new tax year, on April 6.

This means the full new state pension now pays £221.20 a week, or £884.80 for each four-week pay period.

The full basic state pension has gone up to £169.50 a week, or £678 for each pay period.

Rudy Khaitan, managing partner of Senior Capital, recently told Express.co.uk that the increase in the state pension falls short of the rising costs that state pensioners face.

He said: “While the 8.5 percent increase in the state pension is a step forward, it falls short of adequately addressing the financial challenges faced by pensioners amidst the UK’s cost of living crisis.

“To truly alleviate their strain, more robust measures are imperative to ensure the financial security and well-being of UK retirees.”

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