💷 How much is it? (weekly, from April 2026)

Pension Credit has two parts. You can get one, both or neither.

Guarantee Credit tops your weekly income up to a minimum level:

• Single person: £238.00
• Couple: £363.25

If your income is below this, Guarantee Credit makes up the difference.

Extra amounts can be added to your minimum level if you:

• Have a severe disability: £86.05 (single), or £172.10 if you both qualify as a couple
• Care for someone: £48.15
• Have certain housing costs, such as some mortgage interest or ground rent and service charges
• Have a child or young person living with you

Savings Credit is a smaller extra for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and saved a little towards retirement. It's worth up to £17.96 (single) or £20.10 (couple) a week. People who reached State Pension age on or after that date can't claim it, though they can still get Guarantee Credit.

✅ Who can claim?

• You've reached State Pension age.
• You live in Great Britain (Northern Ireland has its own system).
• Your income is below the amount set for your situation. For a single person, that's usually around £238 a week, but it can be higher if you have extra amounts, such as for disability, caring or housing costs.

You can still claim if you:

• Own your own home
• Have some savings (more on this below)
• Get a private or workplace pension, or the State Pension
• Are disabled, a carer or still working

Couples: if one of you has reached State Pension age and the other hasn't, you generally can't claim Pension Credit and would normally claim Universal Credit instead. It can get complicated, so a benefits check is worth doing.

🔎 What counts as income?

• State Pension and other pensions
• Earnings (after tax and certain deductions)
• Some benefits, such as Carer's Allowance and Jobseeker's Allowance
• Interest and other income from savings

What doesn't count (so doesn't reduce your Pension Credit):

• Attendance Allowance, PIP and Disability Living Allowance
• Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction
• Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount

🏦 What about savings?

There's no upper limit on savings for Pension Credit, which surprises lots of people. Savings over £10,000 are counted as giving you a small amount of weekly income, roughly £1 a week for every £500 above that level. So modest savings won't stop you claiming, but significant savings will gradually reduce what you get.

🎁 Why is Pension Credit so valuable?

Getting it can unlock other help, which can be worth far more than the Pension Credit itself:

• Housing Benefit (up to the maximum amount) if you rent
• Council Tax Reduction
• Warm Home Discount: a £150 discount on winter electricity bills, where your supplier takes part. It's usually paid automatically, but it's worth telling your supplier you get Pension Credit.
• Cold Weather Payment during very cold spells
• Free TV licence if you're 75 or over. You need to apply for this separately through TV Licensing.
• Help with NHS costs (if you get Guarantee Credit), such as free dental treatment, sight tests, glasses vouchers, and travel to hospital appointments in England
• Support for Mortgage Interest, and help towards funeral costs, if you qualify
• Maximum help with certain other benefits

❄️ What about Winter Fuel Payment?

The rules changed a lot in 2024 and 2025. For winter 2026/27, Winter Fuel Payment is paid automatically in England and Wales to most people born on or before 27 June 1960. You don't need Pension Credit to get it, though people with taxable income over £35,000 will have it taken back through the tax system. Claiming Pension Credit is still worthwhile because of all the other help it unlocks.

📝 How to claim

You can claim:

• Online through GOV.UK
• By phone on the Pension Credit claim line: 0800 99 1234 (free)
• By post, using a claim form

Have ready: your National Insurance number, details of your income, savings and pensions (and your partner's, if you have one), your bank details, and your housing costs if relevant.

Tips:

• Claim as soon as you think you might be eligible. Don't wait to be certain.
• Pension Credit can be backdated by up to 3 months, but you need to ask for this when you claim. It's not automatic.
• Use the free Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK, or one from Age UK or Turn2us, to get an idea of what you might receive.
• Most claims are decided in a few weeks, and you'll be told by post.

⏳ Your Assessed Income Period

Once you're awarded Pension Credit, the DWP usually sets an Assessed Income Period (AIP), which can be up to 5 years. During this time, your State Pension and private pension increases are ignored, which means you don't need to report most small changes. Do tell them if things change in your household, such as moving home, a partner moving in or out, going into a care home, or a big change in savings.

🤝 Where to get help

• Age UK: free advice line and local branches that can help you fill in the form.
• Citizens Advice: free, confidential advice, including a benefits check.
• Turn2us and Entitledto: free benefits calculators.
• The Pension Service: the government's helpline for State Pension and Pension Credit questions.
• Your local council: some have teams who help older residents claim.

💬 A final word

Many people feel awkward or proud about applying for benefits. Please don't. Pension Credit is something you're entitled to, and you've probably paid in for many years. Even if the amount seems small, it can be a gateway to hundreds or thousands of pounds of extra help a year. If you're unsure, a quick benefits check costs nothing.

If you know an older relative, friend or neighbour who might be missing out, please tell them. A kind word could make a real difference. 🫶

Rates are correct for 2026/27, but always double-check on GOV.UK. This guide applies to England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own Pension Credit scheme, so check Nidirect. In Scotland, some of the extra help works differently, such as with Winter Fuel Payment being replaced by Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.