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Thousands of pensioners could be missing out on an extra £331 a month to help with living costs. The Department for Work and Pensions issues extra money to State Pensioners on low incomes, living with a disability, struggling with housing costs, or caring for a child, meaning thousands of retirees could be eligible.

The benefit, called Pension Credit, is completely separate from pension payments, so any single person with a low weekly income may be able to have their income boosted to £227.10 per week, or £346.60 for couples. However, some pensioners could receive extra cash. Retirees in a caregiving role, with high housing costs, or who are disabled, could be paid a maximum of £331 extra every four weeks.

People with a severe disability could receive one of the largest payments at £82.90 per week, if they receive certain benefits, including Attendance Allowance, the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This means pensioners could receive an extra £331.60 every four weeks.

People who care for another adult could get an extra £46.40 a week if they receive Carer's Allowance, get a Carer Support Payment, or have claimed Carer's Allowance but are not getting paid because another benefit already pays a higher amount.

If partners have both claimed or are receiving Carer's Allowance, they can both get this extra payment, which could add £92.80 to their household per week.

Retirees who are responsible for children or young people could also receive top-ups for each child or young person who lives with them.

The DWP will pay £67.42 a week for each child or young person, and a high rate of £78.10 is paid for the first child, if they were born before April 6, 2017.

The payments will continue until August 31 of the child's 16th birthday, or their 19th birthday if they are still in eligible education, such as studying for GCSEs and A Levels.

Caring for a disabled child

If the child or young person is disabled, pensioners could be paid an extra £36.54 a week. The child or young person would have to be receiving the lower rates of pay for benefits such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Child Disability Payments, or PIP.

Pensioners could receive £114.12 a week if the child or young person gets Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the highest rate of the care component, or the highest rate of Child Disability Payment for care.

Pensioners could also receive monetary support to cover their housing costs, such as ground rent and some service charges. The amount you could get depends on your housing costs.

The full eligibility criteria can be found on the DWP website.