Older people living on their own could be due State Pension top-up of £4,300

Pension Credit claims can be backdated by up to three months and provide access to heating help during winter.

Pension Credit – Could you or someone you know be eligible?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that nearly 78 per cent of all new claims for Pension Credit are processed – from initial application to award decision letter – within the target timeframe of 50 working days. This means older people on a low income making a new claim this month, especially those living on their own, could receive their first payment and any arrears by mid-August.

Despite the full New State Pension now worth £230.25 per week and the full Basic State Pension worth £176.45, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that in 2021, some 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.

It’s crucial for all older people – single, married or cohabiting – to make sure they are claiming all the additional financial support they are entitled to this year to help boost their income and offset the ongoing impact of the cost of living.

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The eligibility rule change to the annual Winter Fuel Payment last year means that only pensioners in claim for certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, received the 2024/25 payment.

However, Sir Keir Starmer recently announced that the UK Government wants to see “more pensioners” qualify for the heating help and speculation is growing that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will confirm a widening of eligibility rules during the Spending Review on June 11.

It’s important to note that older people in Scotland making a successful new claim for Pension Credit before September this year will qualify for the 2025/26 payment and the higher rate of the devolved Pension Age Winter Hating Payment (Scotland-only).

Pension Credit is the most under-claimed benefit and is specifically aimed at providing additional financial support for older people on a low income – singles and couples. Nearly 1.4 million older people across Great Britain, including more than 125,000 living in Scotland, are currently receiving the means-tested benefit that could provide an average of £4,300 in extra support during the coming months.

Some older people think because they have savings or own their home they would not be eligible for the means-tested benefit, which can also provide access to help with housing costs, heating bills and Council Tax.

An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support.

Below is an overview of the benefit including who should check eligibility, how to go about it, how much you could get and where to get help filling in the form.

Who can claim Pension Credit?

There are two types of Pension Credit – Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit , you must be State Pension age (66). Your weekly income will need to be less than the minimum amount the UK Government says you need to live on.

This is £227.10 for a single person and £346.60 for a couple – this amount could be higher if you’re disabled, a carer or have certain housing costs.

You can only get Savings Credit if:

you reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016, or you have a partner who reached State Pension age before this date and was already receiving ityou have qualifying income of at least £198.27 a week for a single person and £314.34 a week for a coupleHow much could you receive from DWP?

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to:

£227.10 for a single person£346.60 for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting)

You might be able to get more than this if you’re disabled or a carer, or you have certain housing costs.

Savings Credit can give you up to:

£17.30 a week for a single person£19.36 a week for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting).

The exact amount you’ll get depends on your income and savings. Your income includes assumed income from savings and capital over £10,000.

How to check eligibility for Pension Credit

Older people, or friends and family, can quickly check their eligibility and get an estimate of what they may receive by using the online Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here.

Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 – lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Expert help and advice is also available from:

More details about claiming Pension Credit can be fond on GOV.UK here.

Other help if you get Pension Credit

If you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:

Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live inSupport for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live inCouncil Tax discountFree TV licence if you are aged 75 or overHelp with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointmentsHelp with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme, Winter Fuel Payments or Pension Age Winter Heating PaymentA discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving houseMixed aged older couples and Pension Credit

In May 2019, the law changed so a ‘mixed age couple’ – a couple where one partner is of State Pension age and the other is under it – are considered to be a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested benefits.

This means they cannot claim Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit until they are both State Pension age. Before this DWP change, a mixed age couple could be eligible to claim the more generous State Pension age benefits when just one of them reached State Pension age.

How to use the Pension Credit calculator

To use the calculator on GOV.UK, you will need details of:

earnings, benefits and pensionssavings and investments

You’ll need the same details for your partner if you have one. You will be presented by a series of questions with multiple choice answer options.

This includes:

Your date of birthYour residential statusWhere in the UK you liveWhether you are registered blindWhich benefits you currently receiveHow much you receive each week for any benefits you getWhether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after youHow much you get each week from pensions – State Pension, private and work pensionsAny employment earningsAny savings, investments or bonds you have

Once you have answered these questions, a summary screen shows your responses, allowing you to go back and change any answers before submitting. The Pension Credit calculator then displays how much benefit you could receive each week.

All you have to do then is follow the link to the application page to find out exactly what you will get from the DWP, including access to other financial support.

There’s also an option to print off the answers you give using the calculator tool to help you complete the application form quicker without having to look out the same details again. Try the Pension Credit Calculator for yourself or your family member to make sure you’re receiving all the financial support you are entitled to claim.

Who cannot use the Pension Credit calculator?

You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner:

are deferring your State Pensionown more than one propertyare self employedhave housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing BenefitHow to make a claim

You can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age. You can claim any time after you reach State Pension age but your claim can only be backdated for three months.

This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.

You will need:

your National Insurance numberinformation about your income, savings and investmentsyour bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by post

If you’re backdating your claim, you’ll need details of your income, savings and investments on the date you want your claim to start.

Apply online

You can use the online service if:

you have already claimed your State Pensionthere are no children or young people included in your claim

To check your entitlement, phone the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator here to find out how much you could get.

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