WASPI women could be due over £10,000 in State Pension age compensation this year

Every year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) issues letters to people in receipt of the State Pension or benefits to let them know how much their payments will be after the annual uprating has been applied in April. Everyone over State Pension age (66) will receive this letter, and Labour peer Lord Davies of Brixton, has confirmed that they are now being issued as he received his last week.

A fifth of households claiming legacy benefits have had them stopped after failing to switch to Universal Credit before the deadline on the Migration Notice letter, a new report has found. The National Audit Office (NAO) called on the UK Government to ensure people are getting the benefits they are entitled to as the Managed Migration process of moving people from the older benefits system continues.

A Labour peer has urged the UK Government to review the decision to freeze the personal allowance at £12,570 until 2026 as it could see future New State Pension payments exceed the income threshold resulting in more people paying tax in retirement. Lord Davies of Brixton warned that if no changes are made, the State Pension and personal tax allowance are on course to “collide” by the 2027-28 financial year.

Newly updated figures show that during the ongoing cost of living crisis, people in the UK claiming their State Pension entitlement only just break even despite a record-breaking increase to weekly payment rates in April. The research, conducted by pension advisors Almond Financial, looked at the State Pension in comparison to the average cost of living in the UK.

Visiting Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World is a once in a lifetime experience that most of us could only dream about. Flights, theme park tickets and hotel stays in Florida quickly adds up to thousands of pounds, but we've found a way to win a lifechanging holiday to Disney for just £10.

A new online petition is urging the UK Government to “commit to not increasing the State Pension age above 68” following the publication of new research by the International Longevity Centre, which suggested that the State Pension age will need to rise to 71 by 2050 to keep up with projected longer life expectancy.

The latest statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that in 2021, 3.3 million people aged 65 years and over were living alone in England and Wales, with around 337,000 single pensioner households recorded in Scotland. Navigating the ongoing cost of living crisis can be challenging for any household, but for older people on their own it’s essential that they are claiming all the additional financial support they are entitled to.

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 latest 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).

Love stories on all of our favorite soap operas are usually riddled with drama, and they aren’t all built to last.

As the Berlinale gets underway, so does the annual European Film Market and its sales, with several buzzy titles at this year’s trade fair. Among them? Paul Schrader‘s next pic, “Oh, Canada!,” the director’s long-gestating adaptation of Russell Banks‘ 2021 novel “Foregone.” But “Oh, Canada!” had buzz going back to early 2023, when it became clear the film would reunite Schrader and “American Gigolo” star Richard Gere for the first time in over forty years.

Millions of older people in receipt of the New or Basic State Pension are set for a significant boost this year after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed that payments will rise by 8.5 per cent from April 8, 2024. This means that someone on the full New State Pension will see payments go up from £203.85 per week to £221.20 and as payments are typically made every four weeks, this amounts to £884.80 each pay period.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has responded to an online petition calling for the UK Government not to use new proposed powers to access bank accounts of people receiving State Pension payments. More than 12,600 people have signed the petition, however, the DWP’s written response clarifies the new measures and the types of State Pension bank accounts that may flag up for review due to potential fraud or error.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed that around 700,000 people on Tax Credits and no other qualifying benefit have started to receive the final cost of living payment of £299. Payments will be made automatically on weekdays between February 16 and 22, 2024.

Financial experts from Spencer Churchill have warned that up to 900,000 low-income retirees may face unexpected tax bills on their State Pensions for the first time this year. Pensioners may have to start setting money aside to pay income tax bills as the personal allowance will remain frozen at £12,570 during the 2024/25 financial year.

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

Millions of older people on the State Pension will see payments rise by 8.5 per cent in April while those on benefits can expect an uplift of 6.7 per cent. However, many people may not be aware that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will implement the annual uprating on two separate dates.

The Treasury have confirmed that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) started writing to older people whose National Insurance (NI) records may be affected by missing periods of Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) in September 2023, inviting them to apply to fill potential gaps to ensure they receive the correct amount of State Pension.

Saturday Night Live Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost will be the featured entertainer at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Night buses will be rolled out in parts of Greater Manchester as part of a trial later this year. Andy Burnham revealed that plans for a pilot scheme are being prepared during the Night Time Economy Summit on Thursday (February 8).

Brenda Edwards has had to deal with huge personal tragedy, but despite her heartache the Loose Women panellist is rarely seen on the ITV show without her winning smile. It’s almost two years since she lost her son, influential music entrepreneur Jamal, who passed away at the age of 31, and almost nine years since her shock diagnosis with breast cancer.Thankfully, she got the all-clear in 2016, after six months of chemotherapy and a mastectomy. And although Brenda tells us that she has had to “smile in the face of adversity” since she was little, the 54-year-old singer and presenter tells us how great she’s feeling at the moment.