Around 2.5 million pensioners across the UK could be missing out on thousands of pounds in government financial support each year, according to a new report by the charity Independent Age. The findings suggest that many older people are either unaware of the benefits available to them or face barriers when trying to claim them.

The report estimates that eligible pensioners could receive support through Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, or a combination of these schemes. In some cases, individuals may be missing out on up to £13,000 annually, depending on their circumstances.

Researchers found that only around 62% of eligible people currently claim Pension Credit, leaving approximately 1.2 million pensioners without access to an estimated £2.5 billion in available support. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of households are believed to be missing Housing Benefit, while more than one million pensioners may not be claiming Council Tax Support.

Independent Age warns that increasing benefit take-up could significantly reduce pensioner poverty. The charity estimates that 280,000 fewer older people would be living in poverty if everyone claimed the financial assistance they were entitled to. It also argues that improved financial security could reduce pressure on the NHS and social care services by improving the overall health and wellbeing of older people.

The report highlights that pensioners living alone, renters, and those receiving the older State Pension are among the groups most likely to benefit from greater access to available support.

The charity is urging the government to introduce a national strategy to improve awareness and simplify the claims process. Many pensioners reportedly avoid applying because they believe they are ineligible, find application forms too complex, or are unaware of the benefits available.

Government officials said supporting pensioners remains a priority and pointed to recent efforts to increase Pension Credit uptake, while also outlining plans to simplify the administration of pension-related benefits in the future.

Experts are encouraging eligible pensioners and their families to review their entitlements to ensure they receive all the financial support available.