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• Nationwide becomes first financial provider to offer free support over the phone – in addition to online
• Benefits calculator service aimed at helping people apply for unclaimed benefits and tackles digital exclusion
• 2,229 households found they were eligible for over £550 a month on average since calculator launched in late June
• Nationwide opens up service for everyone to use – not just its own customers
• UK’s largest building society calls on government to make access to unclaimed benefits easier

Nationwide has become the first financial services provider to launch a free telephone benefits calculator service – helping people understand and claim the support they are entitled to.

The ‘Better Off’ calculator, which will be able to be used by anyone – not just Nationwide customers – has been launched in partnership with social policy data experts, Policy in Practice. An estimated £24 billion in benefits go unclaimed each year and recent data from Action for Children confirms 4.5 million children in the UK are now living in poverty.

The service, which is free, offers both a ‘self-service’ online calculator and a telephone service where an expert is available to guide users through the process. By enabling people to access the service via the society’s website, app, and a dedicated phone line, Nationwide is ensuring that those who can’t or who would prefer not to use digital services, can access the same potentially life-changing support as those who are digitally connected.

In the four weeks since launch 2,229 households discovered they were eligible for an average of £554 extra per month – totalling over £1.2 million. This is roughly equivalent to a typical UK household’s monthly bills for energy, council tax, water, insurance, and basic digital services.*

Nationwide is now calling for the government to make access to unclaimed benefits simpler. Together with Policy in Practice, the UK’s largest building society is highlighting that there are three main barriers preventing access to benefits. These are :

1. Awareness: many people are unaware they are eligible.
2. Complexity: navigating forms, criteria, multiple applications can be daunting and time consuming.
3. Stigma: negative perceptions persist, even though 40 per cent of benefit payments go to people in work.

Kathryn Townsend, Nationwide Head of Customer Vulnerability & Accessibility, said:

“Millions of people across the UK are missing out on vital financial support they are entitled to simply because the system is too complex to understand and access. Our partnership with Policy in Practice means more people, including those who perhaps can’t or prefer not to use digital services, can get the help they need to increase their income. By offering the choice of an online process and a telephone call, we are hopefully making what can be a daunting and confusing experience that little bit simpler.”

Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice said:

“Every year £24 billion in benefits and support goes unclaimed because people don’t know what they’re eligible for, or they struggle to access online services. Digital exclusion often goes hand in hand with wider social and economic disadvantage. By partnering with Policy in Practice to offer an inclusive service, Nationwide is not only helping those most in need, it’s also meeting the growing expectation of customers and setting a benchmark for responsible banking.”

Notes to editor:

About Policy in Practice

Policy in Practice is a social policy, software and analytics company that helps people to discover and access financial support they are missing out on; due to lack of awareness, stigma and the complexity of the application process.

Policy in Practice work with over 350 organisations across sectors such as Financial Services, Housing, Utilities and with a third of all Local Authorities, to support their customers and residents to understand what they could be eligible for. Their award winning betteroffcalculator.co.uk can be found on the gov.uk site, and helps people access vital support every day.

For more information visit policyinpractice.co.uk/about

*Estimated Monthly Bills for a UK household – calculations and sources

About Nationwide Building Society

Nationwide is the world’s largest building society, with over 16 million members. Following its acquisition of Virgin Money, The Nationwide Group is connected with one in three people in the UK and is the second largest provider of mortgages and retail deposits.

As a financial services provider owned by its members, not shareholders, Nationwide’s purpose is “Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society”. Each year, it gives 1% of its profits before tax to good causes. See About Us | Nationwide.

Policy in Practice, the social policy, software and analytics company, and Pocket Power, experts in helping households save money on their bills, today announced a new partnership to improve life for social housing residents.

By working together, Policy in Practice and Pocket Power will help housing providers create smoother referrals and support residents to access benefits and financial support more swiftly. 

With their new software integration, housing advisors can easily connect residents with Pocket Power’s services straight from Policy in Practice’s Better Off Calculator. Residents will no longer have to repeat their stories, saving them time and stress as well as money. 

For social housing providers, it means faster, frictionless support and more efficient case management. And, by increasing residents’ disposable income, housing associations can reduce arrears and improve rent collection rates. 

Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director, Policy in Practice said:

“We’re joining forces to make a bigger difference to people struggling to make ends meet. We’re giving housing providers a simple way to reduce arrears, increase efficiency, and improve resident satisfaction.  With the rising cost of living and the complexity of the welfare system, this is about making things simpler and more effective for everyone.

“By providing smarter, integrated support, Policy in Practice and Pocket Power will help housing providers run smoother services and get residents on firmer financial ground, faster.”

Helen Burgess, Managing Director, Pocket Power said:

“Combining our services – Policy in Practice’s income maximisation and Pocket Power’s expenditure reduction – is a powerful and simple way to increase the financial resilience of the people we work with. It makes sense for housing providers and for their residents, reducing time and stress for both. 

“We’re delighted to be joining forces with Policy in Practice and look forward to helping residents achieve financial stability more quickly.”

For residents and housing providers this means:

• Lower utility bills: Residents can get advice on lowering their bills directly from Policy in Practice’s Better Off calculator and talking to Pocket Power without having to repeat their information
• More income: Housing providers that use Policy in Practice’s Better Off calculator identify an average of over £6,800 per year in unclaimed benefits and support for residents who are missing out
• Residents save money and stress: People who talk to Pocket Power save an average of £250 across their bills, and 88% feel less worried about their finances
• Efficiencies, income and improved engagement: Quicker results and Increased disposable income for residents reduces arrears, improves rent collection and builds stronger trust and engagement
• Digital inclusion: Pocket Power is a phone service that can help those who are digitally excluded access the financial support they might otherwise miss out on by not being online

With the welfare policy landscape moving fast, this partnership will ensure housing providers and their residents are up to date on what this means for them.

This partnership is focused on helping social housing providers and advisors help people with money issues, like Financial Inclusion Managers, Income Officers, and Tenancy Support Services Managers.

Together, we want to help housing providers to build positive customer engagement, community health and sustainable tenancies.

Case study 

Matthew was referred to Pocket Power via the Policy in Practice’s Better Off Calculator (BOC). Before the call, Pocket Power had access to Matthew’s details so he did not have to repeat all of his personal information again. This reduced the time he needed to spend on the phone to Pocket Power who were able to deliver results more quickly and efficiently. As a result, Matthew saved £540 a year by switching his broadband over to a social tariff and moving his energy bill over to a cheaper, fixed tariff.

Matthew said:

“The process worked really well. It was simple and quick, and I appreciated not having to repeat all of my information to yet another service. I appreciate…linking these two services together to make it easier for us to access their much needed financial support.”

ENDS

Download press release

Notes for editors:

For media enquiries, please contact Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice:

Email: deven@policyinpractice.co.uk or WhatsApp or call: +44 (0) 7863 560 677

About Policy in Practice

Policy in Practice has helped 770,000 housing association residents increase their income in the last year by identifying over £6,800 per year in unclaimed benefits and support, on average, for each person who was missing out. This is a direct result of partners using our software to directly inform people of benefits they are eligible for and missing out on. 

Policy in Practice is a social policy, software and analytics company that helps people to access support. Our award winning technology supports over 250 organisations and over 100 local authorities to prevent hardship, putting over £720 million into people’s pockets every year.

Visit www.policyinpractice.co.uk

About Pocket Power

Pocket Power was created to help people on low incomes access the savings and discounts they are entitled to on their household bills. In one 30 minute call, Pocket Power call agents save everyone they talk to an average of £250, from switching people to social tariffs, fixing energy bills, applying for new white goods, to moving people to cheaper mobile deals. 

Alongside the financial savings, Pocket Power aims to build resilience and empower people with knowledge and skills to manage their finances independently going forward. Most recent data shows that after speaking with Pocket Power:

• 90% of customers feel more able to manage their bills and finances themselves 
• 88% feel less stressed about their finances
• 60% feel significantly more able to heat their homes
• 54% feel significantly more able to afford their housing costs

Pocket Power works with housing associations covering over 700,000 households across the UK. 

Visit www.pocket-power.co.uk

A new report, Art of the possible, from Policy in Practice shows how data driven innovations can rapidly improve social tariff access now

Eight million low income households are missing out on £2.7 billion worth of vital support with their water, energy and broadband bills, despite existing data sharing tools that could automate access.

A new report from Policy in Practice, published today as part of a Citizens Advice led-partnership with IPPR and abrdn Financial Fairness Trust looking at social tariffs, reveals how pioneering utilities are already using data to increase social tariff take up. It sets out a clear roadmap to scale these proven solutions nationwide.

With water bills set to rise by an average of 26%, and up to 47% in some cases, by April 2025, urgent action is needed to ensure struggling families receive the support they are entitled to. The Art of the possible report highlights that the data infrastructure and legal gateways required to expand social tariffs are already in place. It calls for a national, automatically enrolled water social tariff by April 2026, alongside immediate steps to improve access today.

Findings: Data led solutions are already working

The report profiles four leading utilities that are successfully using Auto Enrol, Apply Once, and targeted communications to remove the barriers that prevent eligible customers from accessing social tariffs.

Key findings include:

• Auto Enrol, Apply Once, and targeted communications outperform traditional mass marketing campaigns in boosting social tariff take up. Auto Enrol, which automatically applies discounts using existing data, has been the most impactful, delivering Warm Home Discount energy support to 92% of eligible households in 2023-24.
• These approaches work best together. Auto Enrol is highly effective but relies on DWP benefits data, meaning it misses millions of low income households outside the benefit system. Apply Once and targeted communications help fill these gaps by simplifying applications and increasing take up of passported benefits such as Universal Credit and Pension Credit.
• Automation is possible, even for complex schemes. The case studies from South West Water, Anglian Water, Thames Water and British Gas Energy Trust, demonstrate that social tariffs can be automated effectively when designed to use readily available data.

Recommendations: Urgent action needed today

The report calls for a national water social tariff with automatic enrolment by April 2026 and outlines five key steps to achieve this:

Three actions that should happen today:

1. All water, energy, and broadband companies should implement Apply Once using GOV.UK-endorsed benefits calculators to simplify applications
2. Water companies should pilot Auto Enrol for customers in arrears to ensure those most in need receive support automatically
3. Targeted take up campaigns should be launched to increase awareness of water and broadband social tariffs and boost uptake of key passported benefits

Two actions that should happen by April 2026:

1. A national, automatically enrolled water social tariff should be implemented to ensure all eligible households receive support without needing to apply
2. Gaps in existing schemes should be reviewed and addressed, including WaterSure, the Warm Home Discount, and broadband social tariffs, to ensure they work effectively together.

Time to act

Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice, said:

“The ‘Art of the possible’ highlights how leading utility companies are showing the benefits of data sharing to support auto enrolment and offering streamlined assessments to fast track people to lower bills. The government can take action today to scale these and other initiatives to make straightforward access to social tariffs and bill support the expected response from utility companies to customers facing affordability issues.”

Fabian Chessell, Central Government Lead, Policy in Practice, said:

“Leading utility companies are showing the benefits of data sharing to support auto enrolment and streamlined assessments. The government can take action today that makes straightforward access to social tariffs and bill support the core and expected response from utility companies to customers facing affordability issues.

“The data and legal gateways already exist to make social tariffs far more accessible. Our research shows that automation is not just possible; it’s already happening. A national water social tariff with automatic enrolment could transform support for low income households, ensuring millions of families receive the help they need at a time of rising costs.”

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice said:

“After years of cost of living pressures, households across the country are about to feel the extra shock of rising essential bills. But for those on the lowest incomes, these unavoidable costs are already eating away at their finances, leaving their budgets stretched beyond breaking point.

“Social tariffs could be an effective safety net and put money back in people’s pockets, but the government and providers must work together to make sure nobody struggling to make ends meet misses out.

“We want to see people eligible for bill support automatically enrolled to receive it. This change can’t come soon enough.”

Professor Ashwin Kumar, Director of Research and Policy at IPPR, said:

“Essential bills are leaving lowest earners with little room to breathe and causing huge anxieties. Well designed social tariffs and bill support across water, energy, broadband and insurance markets could save households hundreds of pounds a year and provide a vital lifeline to some of the most vulnerable people across the country.”

The full report, Art of the possible, is available at https://policyinpractice.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Report_The-art-of-the-possible_31March25.pdf

— Ends —

For media enquiries, please contact Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice:

Email: deven@policyinpractice.co.uk
WhatsApp or call: +44 (0) 7863 560 677

Notes to editors

Case study: South West Water and its Water Poverty Tool

The problem: South West Water (SWW) aims to eradicate water poverty in the South West. SWW has to be efficient given the already high costs of serving a sparse coastal population. Its offer includes efficiency measures, smart meters, debt support and a 15-85% off WaterCare tariff. Like all water companies, awareness of support was low. Brett Conibere, Head of Customer Insight, Support Services and Metering said: “We cannot wait for people to come to us”.

What they did: SWW partnered with CACI, an analytics company, to build a high resolution view of estimated water affordability down to groups as small as 12 households. SWW segmented customers, offering efficiency measures and smart meters where that was enough to bring them out of water poverty, and providing additional support like their WaterCare tariff where it was needed.

Behind the scenes: Technically, SWW and CACI combined several data sets, including matching SWW’s billing data and CACI’s Ocean data set (which draws on Electoral Roll, research surveys, open data, government data and other sources) at postcode level, along with other data sets like OBR’s income forecasts, to estimate water poverty at household level. To enrol customers onto social tariffs, benefit receipt was checked with DWP through an API. Legally, CACI’s data is aggregated facing fewer data governance hurdles. DWP’s API relies on the Digital Economy Act Section 38 to assist people in water poverty.

Impact on customers: By the end of 2024, SWW has helped over 1,000 customers with water efficiency measures and over 2,000 with smart meters, on top of the 26,000 customers enrolled onto WaterCare. And this is only the beginning: by 2030, SWW plans to have supported 1 in 10 customers with water efficiency measures.

Impact on the utility: SWW found customers more willing to engage in other support when coupled with financial support. Despite the cost of living crisis, SWW’s commitment to aiding and supporting customers struggling with debt has decreased its doubtful debt charge by 45% from £16 million in 2012-13 to £8 million in 2023-24.

Case study: Anglian Water and Apply Once

The problem: Anglian Water introduced LITE and Extra LITE tariffs to support customers with low disposable incomes who were struggling to pay their water bills, but many eligible customers were not accessing the tariff.

What they did: Anglian Water integrated its processes with the GOV.UK endorsed the Better Off Calculator allowing their customers to sign up to the right social tariff with a couple of clicks, rather than having to start all over again on the Anglian Water website and complete the additional paperwork required for the old process.

Behind the scenes: Technically, the Better Off Calculator calculated the customers’ eligibility and identified the correct social tariff, displaying it only to eligible customers. Anglian Water has adopted the calculator as its primary application form for social tariffs, meaning the customer’s data could seamlessly be ported through. Anglian Water verifies the customer’s benefit claim with DWP through an API. Legally, the data sharing was straightforward as users consented to the use of their data for the application.

Impact on customers: Over the last 12 months, over 60,000 customers have used the calculator to assess eligibility as part of Anglian’s sign up journey online, over the phone or via support services. Many first learn about Anglian’s social tariff through the Calculator and go on to apply, with over 2,800 doing so immediately through ‘Apply Once. ’ Already 5-10% and potentially 15-30% of applications. Others will apply later after claiming more valuable benefits like Universal Credit. This shows the benefit of having the social tariff in a benefits calculator used by over 2 million people annually. The Calculator has also helped people access other benefits, with nearly 12,000 customers helped to access £9.4 million of additional support.

Impact on the utility: Anglian Water saved money, reducing manual processing costs and improving customer satisfaction.

Case study: Thames Water and Auto Enrol

The problem: Thames Water (TW) has enhanced its WaterHelp tariff to better support customers in need through the cost of living crisis. TW is keen to exceed the regulator’s targets for social tariff take up and to reach the customers most in need, yet faces low customer awareness despite extensive outreach, with many customers experiencing digital, disability and language barriers. Previous attempts to automate using DWP’s matching service were not fine grained enough, providing only yes/no responses for benefits receipt.

What they are doing: Thames Water is piloting with two London boroughs and Policy in Practice to automatically assess low income customers in water arrears for WaterHelp eligibility. TW expects to automatically enrol over 1,200 eligible customers onto WaterHelp, increasing to 2,500 in April as tariff increases take effect. This replaces traditional mass marketing efforts and a manual application journey which places the onus on the customer to be aware of the tariff and to then complete an application.

Behind the scenes: Technically, multiple benefits and administrative datasets from DWP and local authorities (LAs) were matched by Policy in Practice at the household level. The data is then analysed to calculate water poverty and assess eligibility against Thames Water’s criteria. To maintain data privacy, Policy in Practice acted as a trusted third party, matching LA data to TW’s customer records and flagging eligible customers, meaning TW never received customer data. Legally, the data sharing was possible under the Digital Economy Act section 38 and section 38 provisions for Water Poverty, with GDPR’s minimisation and proportionality achieved by adopting the trusted third party model.

Impact on customers: Over 1,200 customers are expected to be enrolled from April 2025, doubling enrolment and distributing an estimated £500,000 over a year without having to go through a 30 minute income and expenditure assessment. 600 customers were found to be in both water arrears and council tax arrears and will receive additional support by the council. The approach is planned to scale to other local authorities across the Thames Water region.
Impact on the utility: Thames Water expects to reach customers in financial hardship while saving administration costs as it scales this programme across London.

Case study: British Gas Energy Trust and debt relief

The problem: British Gas Energy Trust (the Trust) provides grants to customers with energy debt. The Trust relied on self-referrals and referrals from frontline services, services which struggled to stay abreast of various schemes’ eligibility requirements. This meant that despite the cost of living crisis, funds were often underspent. For self-referred customers, the process was disjointed as they had to use another website and re-enter their details.

What they did: The Trust integrated its eligibility assessment with the Better Off Calculator, endorsed by GOV.UK and used by advisors and the public nationwide, meaning customers are assessed for the grant as part of their advice journey. The Trust also integrated the Better Off Calculator on their website to allow customers to apply for debt relief online and to check for unclaimed benefits as part of the one process.

Behind the scenes: Technically, Policy In Practice implemented the Trust’s different eligibility requirements and assessed customers while they used the calculator. The Trust could then turn schemes on and off depending on funding availability. The Trust integrated the calculator with their website, using a ‘white labelled’ version of the calculator which transferred the applicant’s details via API to prefill their application form. Legally, the data is processed with the customer’s consent.

Impact on customers: Of over 2 million customers a year who use the Better Off Calculator, more than 80,000 customers between April and September 2024 were assessed as eligible for the Trust’s support scheme, many of whom went on to apply, of which over 5,000 applied immediately using Apply Once. Others will have applied over the phone or after they have claimed more valuable benefits like Universal Credit. Customers’ journeys were streamlined and they didn’t have to re-enter their details.

Impact on the fund: The Trust has been able to reliably disburse its funding with confidence its support is reaching the most in need. By integrating with the Better Off Calculator, the Trust has simplified the client journey by combining advice and application into one step, ensuring customers in debt have been supported to access unclaimed benefits to prevent debt build up in the future. The integrated journey has also reduced administration costs.

Policy in Practice partners with Welsh Government to close £2 billion unclaimed support gap in Wales

Policy in Practice is proud to support the Welsh Government’s Claim What’s Yours campaign, which helps people to access the financial support they are entitled to.

As part of the campaign, the Welsh government is working with local authorities and partners to simplify the process of claiming benefits, grants, and payments such as Free School Meals, the Schools Essentials Grant, and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

With an estimated £2 billion in unclaimed benefits in Wales this year, this initiative will collaborate with 14 local authorities across Wales to close the unclaimed support gap and help households access the financial support they need.

As part of these efforts, Policy in Practice is leading a pilot project with these local authorities to proactively simplify access to benefits and support. By leveraging advanced data analytics using our Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) we will identify and reach out to people who may not realise they are eligible for support.

Our previous work with Neath Port Talbot Council has shown the impact this approach can have, significantly increasing Pension Credit uptake and boosting household incomes.

Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder of Policy in Practice said:

We’re delighted to partner with the Welsh Government and local authorities to proactively put up to £2 billion of unclaimed benefits and support into the pockets of people in Wales. As our work with Neath Port Talbot Council has already shown, the extra money can boost family’s incomes, providing much needed relief this winter, and beyond.

Jane Hutt, the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, highlighted the importance of this campaign:

Ensuring people claim what they are entitled to makes a positive difference to families across Wales. We’re committed to putting money back into people’s pockets. Whether you’re struggling with daily expenses, managing debt, or unsure about what help is available, there is support for you in claiming the financial help you’re entitled to.

This project forms part of the Welsh Government’s broader income maximisation campaign, Claim What’s Yours. With a £36 million investment, free and confidential advice is available to help navigate the claims process through the Single Advice Fund income maximisation services.

Whether it’s applying for Personal Independence Payment, Carer’s Allowance, or Pension Credit, households can access support through the Advicelink Cymru Claim What’s Yours helpline.
Since launching in 2020, the Single Advice Fund has secured £160 million in additional income for Welsh residents and alleviated £43.6 million in debts. In the past year alone, the helpline supported 36,800 people, addressing over 120,000 financial, housing, and employment issues.

Advicelink Cymru’s “Claim What’s Yours” advisors can check eligibility for extra income and guide claimants through the process. For free advice, call 0800 702 2020.

• £11m of previously unclaimed Pension Credit has been claimed by Londoners in the past year alone, thanks to support from the Mayor
• A total of 4,597 older Londoners on lower incomes have claimed Pension Credit they are entitled to in the past year, with an average of £4,500 per claim
• The Mayor has announced he will extend the scheme for another year to help Londoners struggling with the cost of living

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced he is extending his successful Pension Credit campaign for a further year, as new figures showed the scheme has delivered £19m to more than 4,597 older Londoners on low incomes.

Together with London boroughs, Sadiq launched a campaign in February 2023 to ensure older Londoners do not miss out on receiving all of their Pension Credit. Since then, more than 4,597 Londoners have claimed Pension Credit they are entitled to, resulting in £19 million in direct additional annual income.

With cost of living pressures persisting and energy bills rising again, it is important that older Londoners are made aware of all the extra support, including Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Allowance, that they are entitled to.

The government provides Pension Credit to people of state pension age on low incomes, however not everyone is aware that they qualify for it. In addition to providing extra money for older Londoners on low incomes, receipt of Pension Credit also unlocks a range of further support, including help with energy and council tax bills, free NHS dental treatment, Housing Benefit for renters and free TV licences for those aged 75 or above.

The Mayor will be extending the campaign for another year to work with 26 boroughs in the capital. The scheme is expected to reach over 12,500 households, with up to £10m in Pension Credit likely to be claimed.

The campaign, which launched in February 2023 in partnership with welfare and data analytics company Policy in Practice, sees eligible older Londoners in 26 London boroughs receive targeted letters to make them aware that they should be claiming this valuable benefit.

Since autumn last year, the campaign has targeted more than 12,400 households. This led to 4,597 older Londoners on lower incomes claiming Pension Credit they are entitled to, worth an average of £4,500 per person. In addition to this, all were able to claim Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300 per household.

This approach is easily replicable across councils and can significantly narrow the gap in unclaimed support.

Sadiq recently announced a further £3.5m in funding to extend free advice and support services across the capital that have already helped low-income Londoners secure more than £25m in financial support.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

Many older households in London are disproportionately affected by cost of living pressures so I am delighted that thanks to our campaign they have claimed over £19 million in Pension Credit.

I’m pleased to be extending the scheme for a further year, helping to reach even more households across the capital that are eligible to receive Pension Credit. As Mayor, I will continue to stand up for all Londoners and do all I can to help them with cost of living pressures, building a better and fairer London for everyone.

Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director of Policy in Practice, said:

We are delighted to see this campaign’s continued success, which has helped put an additional £11 million into the pockets of Londoners in the past year after already securing over £8 million in the previous year. It’s great news that more pensioners are getting the financial support they need. The increased income for some of London’s poorest elderly citizens, worth over £4,500, can have wider benefits, providing much needed relief this winter, opening access to additional support such as Warm Home Discounts and free TV licence.

We fully support the Mayor’s decision to extend the campaign, boosting incomes ahead of changes to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility. The results achieved in the capital are easily replicable across the country and we encourage local authorities to get in touch to see how they can follow suit.

John McGeachy, Campaigns Manager at Age UK London, said:

Sadly, it is often the case that those people who would most benefit from certain information, are the last to hear about it. This is certainly true when it comes to Pension Credit and sadly London has some of the lowest Pension Credit uptake rates in the country. That’s why this campaign is so important, and we’re delighted that it has been so effective so far. London has the highest poverty rate for people of pension age in the UK and having such a targeted campaign has never mattered more than it does now.

Cllr Anthony Okereke, London Councils’ Executive member for Communities, said:

Pension Credit is an important source of financial support for older Londoners on low incomes. That’s why it is fantastic to have the majority of London boroughs participating in this campaign with the Mayor of London, and we welcome its extension for another year.

By drawing on our strong relationships with communities and local voluntary sector organisations across the capital, London boroughs have helped make this campaign a success and increase the uptake of Pension Credit among our residents. This has meant more money in people’s pockets during the cost of living crisis and will ensure continued access to the Winter Fuel Allowance for those who need it most.

Policy in Practice in new exclusive analysis estimates that

• Over 850,000 older people are eligible for but not claiming Pension Credit
• An estimated 130,000 older people miss out because they are just £500 over the income threshold to claim Pension Credit. They could be better off by having lower income and claiming Pension Credit and the Winter Fuel Payment

Social policy data analytics company Policy in Practice uses administrative data to help local authorities find residents who need support, identify unclaimed benefits, and better direct local discretionary support, such as the £1 billion Household Support Fund

Policy in Practice works to resolve issues such as the cliff edges, low awareness, complexity to claim and stigma around social security that result in UK households missing out on an estimated £24 billion of unclaimed support each year.

850,000 people are eligible but not claiming Pension Credit. These households miss out on passported support such as the Winter Fuel Payment, alongside Pension Credit. They could be missing out on more than £10,000 a year overall.

Policy in Practice found that local authority led take up campaigns can narrow the take up gap. A recent pan-London takeup campaign saw over 2,300 households take up Pension Credit who did not know they were eligible.

Locally led takeup campaigns were found to be more than twice as effective as national campaigns. Their project is expanding, operating across over sixty councils this year to drive takeup of Attendance Allowance, Free School Meals, Healthy Start and social tariffs.

The founder of Policy in Practice, Deven Ghelani, was one of the architects of the Universal Credit system. He said:

Taking the Winter Fuel Payment from better off pensioners is one of the few reasonable ways to save money in social security, particularly as they benefit from the triple lock. However, there really is no excuse for the shockingly low levels of Pension Credit take up as many older people continue to struggle with the cost of living.

The Secretary of State should prioritise simplicity in the benefit system and promote proactive support for people. The DWP could start by sharing data with local authorities and widening legislation to allow for automated take up campaigns for benefits such as Pension Credit. If Universal Credit data were shared more widely, we could boost incomes while lowering administration costs.

Editor’s notes

• A recent pan-London takeup campaign saw over 2,300 households take up Pension Credit they didn’t realise they were eligible. Read: How data made London Pensioners better off by over £8 million a year
• Locally led take up campaigns were found to be more than twice as effective as national campaigns. The take up rate achieved by local authorities across London averaged 29% compared to 13% achieved by a national DWP campaign
• An estimated £24 billion in benefits goes unclaimed each year. Read: Missing out 2024
• Data led take up campaigns are being implemented by over sixty councils this year to drive takeup of Attendance Allowance, Free School Meals, Healthy Start and Social Tariffs
• To learn how much is going unclaimed in your local authority email hello@policyinpractice.co.uk
• Case study: Miriam’s story: How a successful Pension Credit claim changed her life

Methodology

Nationally 1.4 million people claim Pension Credit, 850,000 are missing out (see Report: Missing out 2024 page 41 for how this figure was calculated.) Therefore a total 2.25 million people should be receiving Pension Credit.

In a sample of local authorities we found that there should be 42,154 people receiving Pension Credit. We also found that 2,500 are within £500 of being eligible for Pension Credit, but are not eligible. So the ratio of 2,500:42,154 was then compared to a ratio of X:2.25m nationally. The X there equals 130k figure of people who are missing out because they fall just below the eligibility threshold.

Policy in Practice’s latest annual analysis finds that a staggering £22.7 billion in support goes unclaimed every year across the UK.

Launched today, their Missing Out report reveals that 8.4 million people could be missing out on an average of £2,700 per year in rights based benefits.

This is an increase of £4 billion on earlier estimates which found £19 billion was going unclaimed. The increase is caused by the uprating of benefits, the rollout of Universal Credit and newly released DWP figures.

Table 1: Unclaimed benefits and support in 2024

The overall figure of unclaimed support excludes disability benefits and discretionary support, both of which require a further assessment. Including these elements pushes the true level of unclaimed support to over £30 billion.

This amount of support going unclaimed at any time is extraordinary let alone during a cost of living crisis.This is against a backdrop of more households in negative budgets and rising inequalities in health and educational outcomes.

This is not just about the money, it’s about the profound impact on people’s lives,” says Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director of Policy in Practice. “Support from the social security system is a right. The failure to deliver support to people who are entitled to it directly affects education, health outcomes and social participation for millions of people. If we don’t address issues now for people in need we will just see costs further rising. We can’t afford not to close the unclaimed support gap.

Why are benefits going unclaimed?

While each non-claimant’s circumstances vary, the three main reasons are:

• A lack of awareness about available benefits or misconceptions about eligibility.
• A complex system to navigate with multiple applications and complex eligibility criteria.
• The stigma attached to the benefits system and misleading narratives about claimants.

Unfortunately people have to be unrealistically proactive to understand how the systems connect and what they’re eligible for. More often than not this is left to our most vulnerable people or those who care for them, leaving them without the resources they need.”
Recent claimant

More can and must be done to reduce complexity within the system, change the messaging around benefits and to share data across government.

People should check their own entitlements or on behalf of friends and family to see if they are missing out on any of the £24 billion of unclaimed support using one of the free benefits calculators as shown on GOV.UK.

[END]

Methodology

The £24 billion figure represents a 21% increase from our last  report, primarily driven by uprating, Universal Credit rollout, and refined estimates revealing lower benefit takeup rates than previously assumed. For full methodology please see page 29 of the report.

Policy in Practice has included a new alert in its award winning Better Off Calculator to direct users to energy debt relief grants available from the British Gas Energy Trust.

This collaboration aims to inform and empower the Trust’s clients and their household finances, allowing them to identify and apply for vital support, including the Trust’s own grant scheme.

Recent studies show that over one fifth of people in the UK were in poverty in 2022, a statistic that continues to rise. The calculator can identify support schemes that customers may be eligible for once customers have inputted basic information such as household details, health and caring responsibilities, property details and income and earnings. It also has a built in budgeting tool to show where people may be able to make positive changes to their outgoings.

Policy in Practice’s Better Off Calculator is recommended by government and listed on GOV.UK. It is an essential tool that helps two million people a year to identify £19 billion of unclaimed support so they can meet their basic expenses, including energy bills, during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Jessica Taplin, CEO of British Gas Energy Trust said:

By partnering with Policy in Practice, we can help struggling households access a wider range of support schemes through their Better Off Calculator. Not only can this online tool support applications to the Trust’s energy grants, but it can also identify other national and local schemes, helping people both in the short and long term.

Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director of Policy in Practice, said:

The partnership with British Gas Energy Trust tackles immediate financial challenges by providing access to short term grants while streamlining access to long term, sustainable support boosting the financial security of users.  Together, this partnership will broaden awareness of unclaimed support and reduce barriers to take up.

£19 billion in support goes unclaimed in the UK each year

People are missing out on this valuable support as they are unaware it exists or mistakenly think they are not entitled to it. Navigating the benefits and grant applications system can be confusing. With varying eligibility criteria, multiple applications and many different organisations involved it can be daunting, making it all the more difficult to access support.

To learn more about this partnership contact hello@policyinpractice.co.uk or admin@britishgasenergytrust.org.uk

A campaign to encourage 12,000 older people across London to apply for Pension Credit worth up to £3,300 a year has launched today.

The highly targeted campaign is led by Policy in Practice in collaboration with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and 25 London boroughs. It aims to put money into the pockets of pensioners who are struggling with the cost of living crisis.

Pension Credit can be backdated for three months and therefore can be a lifeline for those over the state pension age, providing people on low incomes with much needed extra support for living costs.

Millions of pounds in Pension Credit has already been claimed by thousands of Londoners who didn’t know they were eligible.

This first phase of the campaign ran from February to August 2023 and secured £8.4 million in benefit claims for pensioners across the capital. Over 8,200 households made successful claims worth more than £3,800 each a year, a life changing amount for people struggling on low incomes. Over the average lifetime of a Londoner this is worth £100 million across the capital.

Phase two of the campaign will run over three months and the results are expected in the summer.

London is one of the first cities to carry out region wide benefit take up campaigns. Backed by Age UK London and supported by councils across London the data led automated letter campaign can be easily replicated nationwide.

Nationwide around 850,000 households are missing out on £1.7 billion in unclaimed Pension Credit, along with millions of pounds in unclaimed social tariffs and passported benefits such as free TV licences, Warm Homes Discounts and Council Tax Support.

Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said:

We are very proud to be a part of this campaign, using the power of data to change people’s lives. This campaign will make a difference to their older residents as they grapple with the cost of living crisis.

With £19 billion of benefits remaining unclaimed nationally each year, the scaling up by London of a data-driven, targeted communications campaign for Pension Credit is a great start. Having already secured £8.4 million in unclaimed support we are delighted that this important campaign is expanding into 2024 and the results can and should be replicated across the country.

Abi Wood, CEO, Age UK London said:

With 24 percent of older Londoners living in poverty in London, we support this campaign to help put extra assistance in the hands of people that really do need it right now. We know from speaking to older Londoners that some are facing daily struggles to pay bills and even to provide nutritious meals for themselves. We wholeheartedly support creating awareness that Pension Credit is available for those that are eligible, and for this targeted approach to encouraging uptake.

The award winning platforms from Lightning Reach and Policy in Practice have joined forces to transform the landscape of support access. Kindly funded by Fair4All Finance, the integration widens access to crucial support and streamlines the application process, actively dismantling long standing barriers to access.

Ren Yi Hooi, Founder and CEO of Lightning Reach, said:

We are excited to be working with Policy in Practice to enable more individuals to access the full range of support they may be eligible for across the ecosystem. Everyone should be able to secure the benefits they are entitled to, and the leading Better Off Calculator reaches millions of people in the UK who could also access additional support available on the Lightning Reach portal. We are grateful to our partners at Fair4All Finance for supporting this important initiative.

Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director of Policy in Practice, said:

We are delighted to partner with Lightning Reach to close the shocking unclaimed benefits gap. Integrating both platforms will broaden access to vital support and simplify an often fragmented application process for people who are trying to access crucial support. Lightning Reach leads the way with innovative integrations that align seamlessly with our own mission to empower people to access the support they need and boost their finances.

£19 billion in support goes unclaimed in the UK each year

People are missing out on this valuable support as they are simply unaware it exists or have the misconception that they are not entitled to it. Navigating the benefits and grant applications system can be confusing for people to engage with. Varying eligibility criteria, multiple applications and numerous different organisations involved can be daunting making it all the more difficult to access the support needed.

Almost one in ten of the UK’s population, nearly six million people, are currently missing out on crucial support.

The partnership tackles immediate financial challenges by providing access to short term grants while streamlining access to benefits support and other long term, sustainable support boosting the financial security of users. Individuals doing a benefit check through the Better Off Calculator can now also check for grants and other support available via the Lightning Reach portal and pre-fill their details, while Lightning Reach users can also complete an estimated benefit check within their portal. Organisations and advisors can save time by empowering the people they support to find and apply to a wide range of support more seamlessly.

Together, this partnership will broaden awareness of support as well as eliminating barriers to take up and closing the unclaimed benefits gap.

Policy in Practice is extending the power of its award winning Better Off Calculator by partnering with innovative leaders across multiple sectors to redefine how we reach people needing extra help.

To learn more about this partnership contact hello@policyinpractice.co.uk or hello@lightningreach.org. Hear Ren Yi Hooi and Deven Ghelani speak on The Cost of Living on the Breadline: Income Maximisation to Make Ends Meet panel at the MALG conference on 9 November 202

Policy in Practice is extending the power of its award winning Better Off Calculator by partnering with innovative leaders across multiple sectors to redefine how we reach people needing extra help.

DebtStream and Policy in Practice are delighted to announce their new partnership, set to transform the landscape of debt collection and benefits support.

Designed to help people in arrears, DebtStream is a digital self service platform with comprehensive collections capabilities. The integration of Policy in Practice’s award winning Better Off Calculator into its self service portal will empower consumers to see what benefits and support they may be missing out on so they can optimise their income.

Gareth Bailey, CEO, DebtStream, said:

This partnership marks an exceptionally exciting collaboration for DebtStream. By merging our services, we can deliver a substantial value proposition to consumers, offering a digital home for efficient and effective debt collection and easy access to unclaimed support—all accessible through the multi-award winning DebtStream platform”.

Deven Ghelani, Director and Founder, Policy in Practice, said:

£19 billion of available support going unclaimed at any time is inconceivable, let alone during a cost of living crisis. One in ten families are missing out on much needed help. Innovative solutions such as this are vital to maximise support to those who may be struggling with debt repayments.”

The new Policy in Practice and DebtStream partnership signifies a shift in the debt collection industry. By better connecting people to support they’re eligible for thousands of customers will be better equipped to pay back their debts each month.

The new integration into existing debt collection journeys gives DebtStream customers access to Policy in Practice’s benefits calculator which is recommended by GOV.UK. The Better Off Calculator is used by around 10,000 people every month and puts around £720 million into people’s pockets each year.

With 11 million people in the UK unable to pay their bills and credit cards innovative solutions such as this are much needed. People can now manage their debt and access unclaimed support in one place.

DebtStream works to enhance the collections process by promoting transparency and trust between borrowers and debt collectors via personalised, user friendly journeys. This new partnership empowers customers to optimise their income and engage on their own terms. It gives people more control, privacy and dignity over their finances.

To learn more about this partnership contact hello@policyinpractice.co.uk. Both DebtStream and Policy in Practice teams are attending the MALG Conference 2023 on 9 November and will be happy to chat.

• 2,165 older Londoners have so far claimed an average of £3,879 in unclaimed Pension Credit
• Mayor and London boroughs to expand scheme this autumn to target over 10,000 Londoners and could see up to £9 million Pension Credit claimed

A scheme that has helped Londoners receive an additional £8.4 million in unclaimed Pension Credit is to be rolled out to 10,000 more older Londoners on lower incomes.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, together with London boroughs, launched a campaign in February to ensure older Londoners do not miss out on receiving all of the Pension Credit they are entitled to during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

More than 8,200 older households were targeted and the Mayor today revealed that the campaign resulted in 2,165 successful claims from eligible Londoners, amounting to just under £8.4 million (£8,398,429) in direct additional annual income – an average of £3,879 per claim.

The campaign, in partnership with welfare and data analytics company Policy in Practice, saw eligible older Londoners in 17 London boroughs receive targeted letters to make them aware that they should be claiming this valuable benefit.

Following the success of this initial phase, the Mayor has announced that he will be expanding the campaign this autumn to include up to 23 boroughs. It is estimated that these boroughs will contact a total of over 10,000 households, with up to £9 million in Pension Credit likely to be claimed.

Unclaimed Pension Credit is estimated to be worth £246.5 million a year in London alone, with eligible households each missing out on an average over £3,500 every year.

The Government provides Pension Credit to people of state pension age on low incomes. In addition to providing extra money for older Londoners on low incomes, receipt of Pension Credit also unlocks a range of further support, including help with energy and council tax bills, free NHS dental treatment, Housing Benefit for renters and free TV licences for those aged 75 or above.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

This has been a hugely successful campaign that has secured more than £8 million in unclaimed benefits for older Londoners on the lowest incomes, who are disproportionately feeling the cost of living squeeze.

“I am pleased that we will now be extending the scheme to thousands more older Londoners who may not know they are eligible to receive Pension Credit or how to claim it. This is part of my commitment to continue building a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”

Cllr Claire Holland, London Councils’ Executive Member for Communities said:

Amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, Pension Credit can be vital for keeping low-income pensioners out of poverty.

“This campaign is a great example of what can be achieved through collaboration and intelligent use of data. Great progress has been made, but there are still struggling Londoners missing out on this crucial support. The expansion of the campaign will help ensure more pensioners receive the Pension Credit they are entitled to.”

Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said:

We are delighted to have helped put £8.3 million into the pockets of 2,165 pensioners across London. We are thrilled to have helped these households, who will now get almost £4,000 in additional support every year following this Pension Credit take up campaign.

“We welcome the Mayor’s decision to expand the campaign into the autumn, continuing to grow the incomes of Londoners during this ongoing cost of living crisis. It’s heartening to know that the results achieved in the capital are easily replicable across the country.”

Abi Wood, CEO of Age UK London said:

Receiving Pension Credit makes a significant difference to the lives of older Londoners on low incomes. It can be transformative for many, making life a little easier and crucially opening the doors to vital additional support. We are delighted that this scheme has been so successful and even more effective than anticipated. This success is particularly welcome in London, where we have some of the highest poverty rates in the country for people of pension age. We are very pleased that the Mayor is expanding the scheme. For too long, too many people entitled to Pension Credit have not been claiming it and so it’s great to see that this vital work will continue.”

ENDS

New analysis by Policy in Practice finds that the total amount of unclaimed income-related benefits and social tariffs is now £18.7 billion a year.

A forthcoming report from Policy in Practice estimates the value of unclaimed benefits and social tariffs.

The report finds:

1. National benefits administered by the DWP make up the largest share of unclaimed benefits. £7.5 billion of Universal Credit goes unclaimed by 1.2 million eligible households
2. Council tax support is the most underclaimed government benefit in England, with 2.7 million people missing out on £2.8 billion of support
3. Social tariffs are also significantly underclaimed. People on means-tested benefits should check their eligibility. There are at least 5 million households who could access lower costs social tariffs with their water, broadband, and energy providers

Benefits go unclaimed due to administrative complexity, a lack of awareness and increasing fragmentation of support.

• Administrative complexity: The sheer complexity of multiple application mechanisms, administering organisations, eligibility criteria and conditionality creates a barrier for many people who are trying to navigate the system and access support
• A lack of awareness: Many claimants are simply unaware that they can claim support given their circumstances or income
• Increasing fragmentation of support: Inadequacy of means-tested benefits is driving a growing plethora of discretionary and other support schemes. This creates postcode lotteries for available support, and unequal conditions to access it
• Stigma: Negative perceptions around claiming benefits may discourage eligible people from engaging in the benefit system

Our policy recommendations:

1. Set national benefit rates at a level that covers essential costs: Inadequate benefit levels partially contribute to an ever-increasing web of support to fill growing gaps in social security
2. Reduce complexity and increase awareness of benefits: The DWP and local authorities should have a responsibility to raise awareness of benefits eligibility and share data to maximise take-up
3. Change the messaging around benefits: The pandemic and the cost of living crisis highlighted how we all need access to social security in times of crisis. Public attitudes appear to be changing, government messaging should be supportive of social security, to ensure that all those that are eligible access support

Deven Ghelani, Director of Policy in Practice, said: “It is shocking that £19 billion of benefits and support is unclaimed at any time, let alone during a cost of living crisis. Universal Credit simplifies access to support, but a growing patchwork of support has emerged to plug austerity driven gaps in social security. Government needs to act to raise awareness of all unclaimed benefits and people should check their eligibility using a free benefits calculator.”