Older people on less than £101 each week could be due extra State Pension payment

The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that the State Pension currently provides a regular financial income for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country, including more than one million retirees living in Scotland. This payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for both men and women, and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance (NI) contributions.

However, people over 80 who have no Basic State Pension income or have a weekly income of less than £101.55 each week, could be due extra money to help them with daily living expenses. The ‘Over 80 Pension’ currently gives older people £101.55 each week if they are receiving no Basic State Pension, or makes up the difference to that amount.

The weekly payment threshold has risen from £93.60 for the 2024/25 financial year. Older people on a low income may also be eligible for Pension Credit, which provides on average more than £3,900 in extra financial support each year.

Claiming the ‘Over 80 Pension’

It’s important to be aware that you cannot get the ‘Over 80 Pension’ if you reached State Pension age on or after April 6, 2016 - if you have, you are eligible for the New State Pension.

The guidance on GOV.uk states that you can claim the over 80 pension if all of the following apply:

• You are 80 or over
• You do not get Basic State Pension or your Basic State Pension is less than £101.55 a week in 2023 to 2024
• You were resident in the UK for at least 10 years out of 20 (this does not have to be 10 years in a row) - this 20 year period must include the day before you turned 80 or any day after
• You were ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar on your 80th birthday or the date you made the claim for this pension, if later

If you live in or are moving to a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, find out about pensions and benefits for UK nationals in the EU, EEA and Switzerland on GOV.UK here.

Your eligibility for the over 80 pension is not based on National Insurance contributions.

How to claim

You can get a claim form from either:

• your local Jobcentre Plus
• the Pension Service

The earliest you can claim is three months before your 80th birthday. You can get a claim form sent to you from the Pension Service by calling 0800 731 7898. Full details on GOV.UK here.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit gives people extra money to help with their living costs if they are over State Pension age and on a low income. It can also provide access to a range of other benefits.

Nearly 1.4 million older people across Great Britain, including more than 126,800 living in Scotland, are currently receiving the means-tested benefit that could provide an average of more than £3,900 in extra support each year.

However, the latest figures from the DWP suggest there are still 880,000 eligible pensioners not claiming the benefit they are entitled to.

How much is Pension Credit worth?

Pension Credit is tax-free and tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level of £218.15 a week for single pensioners or £332.95 for couples. If your income is higher, you might still be eligible if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs - find out more here.

What counts as income for Pension Credit

Your income includes:

• State Pension
• other pensions
• earnings from employment and self-employment
• most social security benefits, for example Carer’s Allowance

What does not count as income

Not all benefits are counted as income. For example, the following are not counted:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Christmas Bonus
• Child Benefit
• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• social fund payments like Winter Fuel Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Reduction

An award of just £1 per week is enough to unlock other support, including help with housing costs, heating bills and Council Tax.

Quickest way 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.

The DWP has also published a new video on YouTube which offers a complete step-by-step guide to using the online calculator. You can watch it 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 in
• Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
• Council Tax discount
• Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
• Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
• Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
• A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house

Mixed 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 pensions

• savings 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 birth
• Your residential status
• Where in the UK you live
• Whether you are registered blind
• Which benefits you currently receive
• How much you receive each week for any benefits you get
• Whether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after you
• How much you get each week from pensions - State Pension, private and work pensions
• Any employment earnings
• Any 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 Pension

• own more than one property

• are self employed

• have housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit

How 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 number

• information about your income, savings and investments

• your 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 Pension

• there 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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