Pension Credit

Overview

Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for people over State Pension age whose income falls below a set threshold. It has two parts: Guarantee Credit, which tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level, and Savings Credit, a smaller additional payment available to some claimants who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. The amount payable depends on the claimant's income, savings, whether they have a partner, and in some cases whether they have caring responsibilities, a disability, or housing costs. Pension Credit is distinct from the State Pension and can be claimed alongside it. Receiving Pension Credit also acts as a gateway to other forms of support, including help with Council Tax, NHS costs, and cost-of-living assistance. It is available across the UK. Individual eligibility and amount are determined by the DWP based on the claimant's financial circumstances and relevant life events. This page references figures and eligibility criteria from the primary GOV.UK source; the authoritative source for any individual award remains the DWP.

Applies in UK-wide. Administered by DWP. This page is general information; contact DWP for your individual circumstances.

Rates

Eligibility criteria include

• RESIDENCE
  You must live in England, Scotland or Wales to qualify for Pension Credit. ^[GOV.UK]
• AGE
  You must have reached State Pension age to qualify for Pension Credit. ^[GOV.UK]
• HOUSEHOLD
  If you have a partner, you must include them on your application. You are eligible if both you and your partner have reached State Pension age, or one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age. ^[GOV.UK]
• IMMIGRATION
  If you're from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get Pension Credit. ^[GOV.UK]
• INCOME
  Pension Credit tops up your weekly income to £238 if you're single, or joint weekly income to £363.25 if you have a partner. If income is higher, you might still be eligible if you have a disability, care for someone, have savings, or have housing costs. ^[GOV.UK]
• INCOME
  Income includes State Pension, other pensions, earnings from employment and self-employment, and most social security benefits such as Carer's Allowance. ^[GOV.UK]
• CAPITAL
  If you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments, this will not affect your Pension Credit. If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. ^[GOV.UK]
• AGE
  Savings Credit is only available if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. ^[GOV.UK]
• OTHER
  Savings Credit requires that you saved some money for retirement, for example a personal or workplace pension. ^[GOV.UK]
• OTHER
  You could get a carer extra amount if you get Carer's Allowance, get Carer Support Payment, or have claimed Carer's Allowance but are not being paid because you already get another benefit paying a higher amount. ^[GOV.UK]
• RESIDENCE
  You can continue to get Pension Credit if you are away from Great Britain for 4 weeks or less. You cannot apply for Pension Credit if you are already outside Great Britain, and you cannot get it if moving away permanently. ^[GOV.UK]
• RESIDENCE
  You can get Pension Credit for up to 4 more weeks if you're away from Great Britain because of the death of a close relative, or a close relative dies while you're away and you cannot reasonably return to the UK. ^[GOV.UK]
• RESIDENCE
  You can continue to get Pension Credit for up to 26 weeks if you've left Great Britain for medical treatment, approved convalescence, or your partner or child is leaving for medical treatment or approved convalescence and you're going with them. ^[GOV.UK]
• OTHER
  You cannot build up extra amounts for deferring your State Pension if you or your partner are getting Pension Credit. ^[GOV.UK]
• INCOME
  Certain benefits are not counted as income, including Adult Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance, Child Benefit, Christmas Bonus, Council Tax Reduction, Disability Living Allowance, Housing Benefit, Pension Age Disability Payment, Personal Independence Payment, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, and social fund payments like Winter Fuel Payment. ^[GOV.UK]
• DISABILITY
  You could get an extra £86.05 a week severe disability amount if you receive Attendance Allowance, middle or highest rate care component of DLA, daily living component of PIP, Armed Forces Independence Payment, daily living component of Adult Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment, or middle or highest rate care component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance. ^[GOV.UK]
• INCOME
  If you're entitled to a personal or workplace pension and have not claimed it yet, the amount you'd expect to get still counts as income. If you've deferred your State Pension, the amount you would get is counted as income. ^[GOV.UK]

Sources