People of State Pension age urged to check benefits eligibility to help pay energy and food bills

The most recent report by the public spending watchdog on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) accounts has revealed that around 237,000 people over State Pension age have been underpaid a total of £1.46 billion. The underpayments average around £8,900 per person.

State Pension currently provides essential financial support for nearly 12.5 million older people across the UK, including some 981,399 living in Scotland. This regular payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is now 66 for both men and women, and have paid at least 10 years of National Insurance contributions.

The Scottish Government has announced that the annual payment to help disabled children and young people heat their homes during the colder months is on its way to thousands of families across the country. The Child Winter Heating Assistance payment is automatically paid to families of eligible children and young people, there’s no need to claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been reluctant to confirm whether State Pension and benefits will be uprated in line with the current inflation rate of 10.1% next April. New DWP boss, Mel Stride, told the House of Commons earlier this week that a decision will not be announced until the Autumn Statement on November 17 at the earliest.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has declined a request from Labour MP, John McDonnell, to meet with a delegation of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigners to “talk about their plight and find a way forward” amid an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) into the way the DWP communicated changes to retirement age.

The latest figures from Social Security Scotland show that at the end of February, 2022 there were 124,081 people living in Scotland receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance. Across the UK, there are now more than 1.5 million people over State Pension age getting either £61.85 or £92.40 each week through the benefit.

Almost one in four families across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland will qualify for financial support from the UK Government's £37 billion support package to help them through the cost of living crisis this winter. However, if you are not eligible for a means-tested benefit, disability, or pensioner payment, you may still be able to access cash support from your local council

Strictly Come Dancing 's Hamza Yassin has been a firm favourite on the show, so much so that he's danced his way to the top of the leaderboard, where he has remained ever since.

Keeping tabs? Meghan Markle isn’t afraid of speaking about her experience within the British royal family — and her words make waves across the pond.

The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that in February 2022, nearly 12.5 millions people across the UK were receiving State Pension payments, including 1.1 million living abroad and 992,052 in Scotland.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation reached 10.1% in September. This matches the 40-year high inflation hit in July and remains well above the UK Government’s target of 2%.

Bindi Irwin has responded to a plea from the owner of TikTok famous emu Emmanuel Todd Lopez after the bird contracted avian flu. Taylor Blake, who runs Knuckle Bump Farms in South Florida, revealed on Twitter this week that all but two of the farm’s birds had died after contracting the deadly avian flu, which she suggested may have been spread by wild Egyptian geese.

Thania Garcia The South by Southwest Music Festival has revealed the first round of performers for its 37th annual celebration, taking over Austin, Texas, from March 13-18, 2023.  The full list of artists appears below, but highlights include South Korean artists Balming Tiger and Beenzino, Calle 13’s iLe (Puerto Rico), Ladaniva (France), Max Cooper (England), Mightmare, Núria Graham (Spain), the Orielles (England), Otoboke Beaver (Japan), RVG (Australia), Son Rompe Pera (Mexico) and dozens more. Like previous years, the festival will host multiple events spotlighting the 191 emerging talents on the list — with this being the first of several announcements for its planned showcases that will span six nights.

Forget the fish and chips – when it comes to Prince Harry’s favorite fast-food in America, In-N-Out takes the crown. The Duke of Sussex’s wife Meghan Markle was previously named as one of Variety’s Power of Women honorees, but her cover story was postponed during the mourning period of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch passed away on Sept.

Millions of people currently receiving Pension Credit across the UK are due to receive extra financial help during the autumn period.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Location shooting is underway for “Finding Love in Sisters,” which features a cast with about one million followers apiece on social media: Puerto Rican-born Laura Carmine, Miami-based Marielena Dávila and U.K. model-actor Nick Hounslow. “Finding Love in Sisters” follows drama “Finding Love in San Antonio,” co-produced by leading indie production shingle BTF Media and  L.A.-based American Cinema Inspires (ACI), which teamed up last year to develop and produce films with predominantly U.S. Latino talent. Written by D.F.W. Buckingham (“Finding Love in San Antonio”) and helmed by Jeff Day (“Midway Love”), the romantic drama centers on Esperanza (Carmine), a successful lawyer whose dream life is showing some cracks. Her mother suggests she visit their hometown of Sisters, Oregon to get recharged but she chooses to stay at her job. When Esperanza’s mother dies, she returns home, although she is wary of reuniting with her two sisters, Caridad (Dávila) and Faith (Valentina Izarra), after so many years apart.

State Pension currently provides essential financial support for 12.5 million older people across the UK, including some 981,399 living in Scotland. This regular payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is now 66 for both men and women, and have paid at least 10 years’ of National Insurance contributions.

Thousands of families across Scotland with a disabled child or young person will receive a one-off payment this winter to help with energy bills. Child Winter Heating Assistance is an annual payment of £214 for youngsters in receipt of disability benefits to help with increased costs over the colder months.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will announce the State Pension and benefits uprating next month following a scheduled annual review which takes place after the release of the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figures in October.