Thousands of Pensioners Face Financial Hardship Under DWP Rule
Labour is facing mounting pressure to abolish a contentious Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) regulation that prevents mixed-age couples from accessing vital financial support. According to the charity Independent Age, this policy is exacerbating severe financial hardship for approximately 60,000 low-income couples across the UK.
The Impact of the Mixed-Age Couples Rule
Introduced in 2019, the mixed-age couples rule bars couples from claiming benefits like Pension Credit until both partners reach State Pension age. Independent Age estimates that affected couples typically lose around £5,900 per year, with some missing out on as much as £7,000 annually. This financial shortfall is pushing many elderly individuals deeper into poverty.
Data from 2019 reveals that 12 per cent of couples eligible for Pension Credit have an age gap exceeding ten years. Consequently, the older partner may be forced to wait until their late seventies to receive pensioner entitlements, significantly increasing their financial strain.
Voices from Affected Couples
Andy Cressey from Goole, Yorkshire, shared his predicament: "My partner June, who is three years younger, will be impacted when I reach retirement age in 2028. She will have to claim Universal Credit, and my State Pension will reduce her benefits pound-for-pound, meaning we must survive on my pension alone." He added, "Absurdly, we would be better off living apart, as the council would cover my rent and tax if we separated. The system is utterly bonkers."
Eddie Burns from Liverpool echoed these concerns: "At 70, with my 65-year-old disabled partner, we are barely managing financially. I have been repeatedly denied Pension Credit because my partner is not of pensionable age. This unfair rule prevents us from receiving crucial extra help."
Charity Calls for Urgent Reform
Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of Independent Age, emphasised the injustice: "Our helpline received a call from a 79-year-old unable to claim Pension Credit due to a 59-year-old partner. They must wait until age 87 for support. The government has created a flawed system where age differences dictate financial treatment."
She further stated: "This rule unfairly locks older people with younger partners out of vital support, forcing years of waiting. It risks pushing more into deep hardship, especially as the State Pension age rises to 67 between 2026 and 2028."
Campaign for Change
Independent Age is urging the UK Government to scrap the rule, allowing couples to claim pensioner benefits once the elder partner reaches State Pension age. While Universal Credit is available, it is ill-suited to meet the needs of those beyond retirement age.
The charity has launched a campaign, delivering Valentine's Day cards to 650 MPs to highlight the issue. Each card includes an invitation to a protest outside Parliament on 11 February, where activists will demand immediate policy reversal.
Elson concluded: "Who you love should not determine your financial support in later life. Too many couples are living on meagre incomes due to this rule. It is time for the government to act."
