Thousands of pensioners receiving Pension Credit could be asked to provide recent bank statements as the Government steps up efforts to reduce fraud and error across the benefits system.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has begun contacting selected claimants as part of a review of Pension Credit awards, with the wider programme expected to save up to £370 million by April 2031.
Pensioners receiving Pension Credit could be asked to provide recent bank statements
Pension Credit is designed to provide additional financial support to people over State Pension age who are living on a low income. It can help with day-to-day living and housing costs, and may also unlock access to other support, including help with council tax and a free TV licence.
The benefit tops weekly income up to £238 for a single person and £363.25 for a couple, according to the figures cited in the report. However, entitlement depends on a claimant’s income, savings, assets and personal circumstances.
The DWP says circumstances can change after a claim is approved. A claimant may receive an inheritance, see their savings increase or spend longer overseas than benefit rules allow. If those changes are not reported, the amount paid may no longer be correct.
A Government spokesperson said: “We know that a claimant’s circumstances can change throughout their claim, which can lead to their claim being incorrect. By reviewing claims, we can ensure claimants are receiving the correct entitlement.”
The department added that it wants pensioners to receive all the support to which they are legally entitled.
What documents could be requested?
Not every Pension Credit recipient will necessarily be asked to provide bank statements. The DWP has not disclosed how many people will be selected or explained precisely how cases will be chosen.
Those whose claims are reviewed may be asked for additional evidence, including recent bank statements. The documents could be used to check whether a claimant’s financial position remains consistent with the information originally supplied.
Other evidence may also be requested where relevant, such as details of income, savings, investments, property ownership or time spent outside the UK.
The Government’s latest benefit accuracy statistics show that Pension Credit overpayments were estimated at £620 million in the financial year ending 2026, equivalent to 10 per cent of expenditure. The figure includes overpayments linked to fraud, claimant error and official error.
The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a Pension Credit review campaign
The targeted reviews are expected to recover around £15 million, with approximately 10,700 claimants forecast to have their entitlement reduced. The average overpayment is estimated at £1,400 per case, according to the CityAM report.
However, a review does not automatically mean that a claimant has done anything wrong. The DWP says it will correct awards where people have been paid too much or too little.
That could mean reducing future payments, recovering an overpayment or increasing support where a pensioner has been underpaid.
The policy was first announced during the previous Autumn Budget. The Government’s wider plan is to improve the accuracy of Pension Credit claims through reviews running from 2026 to 2029, alongside broader measures to tackle fraud and error in the welfare system.
Many pensioners still miss out
The crackdown comes as campaigners continue to highlight the number of eligible pensioners who do not claim Pension Credit.
Estimates cited in the report suggest that around 761,000 pensioners failed to claim the benefit during the last tax year, leaving significant support unclaimed. Pension Credit is sometimes described as a “passport benefit” because receiving it can help people qualify for other forms of assistance.
The Government launched a take-up campaign last October, which resulted in an additional 33,500 people signing up, according to the report.
Charities have warned that some older people may not realise they are eligible, while others may be put off by the application process or assume that having modest savings automatically rules them out.
What should claimants do?
Pension Credit recipients who receive a genuine review request should read it carefully and provide the requested information by the stated deadline.
They should also:
- Check that the request genuinely comes from the DWP before sharing sensitive financial information.
- Use official GOV.UK contact details rather than telephone numbers or links supplied in an unexpected message.
- Keep copies of documents sent and note the date they were provided.
- Ask for help if they struggle to understand the request or collect the paperwork.
- Seek independent advice before agreeing to repay an amount they believe is incorrect.
