State pensioners in mixed-age couples are being unfairly penalised and left up to £7,000 worse off each year due to a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rule that requires both partners to have reached State Pension age before they can claim certain benefits.
Since the introduction of the mixed age couples rule in 2019, couples where one partner is below State Pension age are excluded from accessing support such as Pension Credit, which averages £4,300 per year. This policy has locked approximately 70,000 older people out of essential financial help designed to protect pensioners on low incomes.
Independent Age, alongside 12 other organisations, has signed an open letter addressed to DWP Secretary Pat McFadden, urging the government to abolish this discriminatory rule. The letter highlights that no individual should be financially penalised because of their partner’s age, calling the situation “urgent” amid an impending rise in the State Pension age that threatens to extend the wait for benefits even further.
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Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Age, expressed concern over the impact on everyday lives, stating, “This rule unfairly locks thousands out of vital support simply because their partner is younger. For many, the difference this support makes can mean choosing between heating and eating or paying the rent.”
Jan Shortt, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, condemned the policy as unjust, saying, “Treating people differently based on who they love is nonsense. Mixed-age couples deserve access to the financial resources they need to stay secure and independent.”
As the debate continues, the call for reform grows louder to ensure fairness and financial security for all older couples, regardless of age differences.