New update on call for Basic State Pension payments to rise to £203 each week

The latest Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures indicate that fraud and error in the benefit system is falling after the UK Government restated its determination to drive levels down further and protect taxpayers’ money. The most-recent national statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, fraud and error rates fell to 3.6 per cent (£8.3 billion) from 4.0 per cent (£8.7 billion) - figures for 2023/24 are due to be published next month.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has removed the online claim forms for the 2023/24 Winter Fuel Payment for people living in the UK and retirees living abroad. The closing date for applications for the annual heating bill help was Sunday, March 31 - which means anyone who missed the deadline will not be entitled to up to £600.

A new banking hub in Stockport will open this week, it has been confirmed. Located in the Village Square in Bramhall, it will offer counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions.

An open letter to Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt MP, demanding a debate and vote in Parliament on compensation for Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign, has been signed by more than 156,000 people in just 10 days.

Olly Alexander is responding to calls for him to boycott the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, but he says he will not be withdrawing from the competition.

Millions of older people in receipt of the New or Basic State Pension are set for a significant boost this year after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed payments will rise by 8.5 per cent from April 8, 2024. Those with additional State Pension elements or deferred payments, will see an uplift of 6.7 per cent.

More than 39,500 people have signed an online petition calling for income tax on the State Pension to be scrapped in order to help “reduce the tax burden on pensioners” despite the UK Government rejecting the proposal earlier this year. The petition was created after it was announced in November the Personal Allowance income threshold will remain frozen at £12,570 during the 2024/25 financial year.

Wallows have shared their latest single ‘Calling After Me’ and have shared the tracklist to upcooming album ‘Model’ – listen to it down below.The trio – comprised of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston – recently announced their upcoming album, which is set to drop May 24th via Atlantic Records. So far, the band have shared ‘Your Apartment’ as a preview.Now, they’ve released their latest teaser of ‘Model’, called ‘Calling After Me’. They said of the song: “We like that ‘Calling After Me’ is pretty fun and light on its feet for a Wallows song.

Millions of 1950s-born women who lost out when the State Pension age changed cannot afford to wait much longer for compensation, campaigners said as they acknowledged that for some it was “already too late”. Age UK accused the UK Government of “seemingly endlessly dragging its feet in situations when there have been clear findings of fault”, and compared the situation to concerns around the Windrush Compensation Scheme and the Post Office and Contaminated Blood scandals.

Death in Paradise fans have been sharing their hopes for a replacement in the BBC crime series' lead role after current star Ralf Little was rumoured to have quit.The BBC One show, based on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, changes up its British detective character every few seasons and has previously starred Ben Miller, Kris Marshall and Ardal O'Hanlon. Ralf has been playing DI Neville Parker since 2020, but viewers have been speculating that the show could be due a change at the top yet again, after Ralf appears to have gone quiet on fans. A Reddit user posted the poll " Is the show ready for a new DI?" which sparked a discussion amongst Death in Paradise regular viewers.

The Work and Pensions Committee has said that uprating of benefits should be guaranteed by the UK Government every year and the Household Support Fund should be made permanent. Committee chairman Sir Stephen Timms said the annual “will they or won’t they speculation” in the run-up to each Budget announcement on whether benefits will rise in line with inflation must end.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced last week that an update on the progress it is making to identify and rectify historical State Pension errors will be published before the end of this month. Pensions Minister Paul Maynard MP said that the report will cover progress made up until the end of February this year.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to issue an increase for all components of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from April.

The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the State Pension currently provides regular financial support for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country, including over one million retirees living in Scotland. This payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for men and women, and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance Contributions.

More than 45,200 people have signed an online petition calling for a ‘universal’ weekly State Pension payment of nearly £550 in order to match the current hourly rate of the National Living Wage. Petition creator Michael Thompson also suggests making the option to claim State Pension available to everyone from the age of 60.

The chair of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign has indicated that the final report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) into ‘injustice caused by the maladministration’ of changes to the State Pension age, “is set to be released within weeks”.

Katie Waissel has become the latest former X Factor contestant to criticise former X Factor judge Louis Walsh.Earlier this week, Jedward took aim at their former manager Walsh, following him branding them as “vile” during his time on Celebrity Big Brother (March 12). After another contestant asked Walsh what it was like working with the pop duo, he replied: “They were vile…But they were great.

Humza Yousaf has repeated his government's belief that all drugs should be decriminalised for personal use in Scotland.

Millions of people claiming their State Pension can look forward to an inflation-busting boost next month when payments rise by 8.5 per cent from April 8. Under the wages growth measure of the Triple Lock policy, those on the full New State Pension can expect an annual increase of £902, while those on the full Basic State Pension will see an uplift of £692.

The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that the State Pension currently provides a regular financial income for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country, including more than one million retirees living in Scotland. This payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for both men and women, and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance (NI) contributions.