Guidance

Pension freedoms and DWP benefits

How defined contribution pension freedoms could affect your entitlement to social security benefits.

• From: Department for Work and Pensions
• Published: 27 March 2015
• Last updated: 1 April 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 1 April 2026

     References to Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance have been removed (both English and Welsh versions) following the closure of the benefits and migration to Universal Credit.

  2. 27 March 2015

     First published.

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Pension freedoms and DWP benefits

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Defined contribution pensions build up an individual fund or ‘pot’ of pension savings. Since April 2015, people aged 55 years and over have more freedom and choice about how to access these pension savings.

This factsheet explains how the pension freedoms could affect your entitlement to benefits.