Your circumstances Guarantee Credit per week Savings Credit per week Single people Top up to £173.75 Up to £13.97 Couples Top up to £265.20 Up to £15.62 You might get more if you’re a carer, severely disabled, responsible for a child or young person, or have certain housing costs. Use the Pension Credit calculator to work out how much you might get. If you get Guarantee Credit you’ll also qualify for other benefits such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Cold Weather Payments and help with the costs of NHS services. Check a benefits calculator to see if you’re eligible for anything else. If you’re responsible for a child or young person You might get more Pension Credit if you’re responsible for a child or young person. This is called the ‘child addition’. The child or young person must normally live with you and be under the age of 20. If they’re 16 or over and under 20, they must be in (or accepted for): approved training, such as Foundation Apprenticeships a course of non-advanced education (for example, they’re studying for GCSEs or A levels) If they’re in education, it must be for more than 12 hours a week on average. You cannot get the child addition if you get Tax Credits. If you get Tax Credits, you could get support for the child or young person through Child Tax Credits . Contact the Pension Service helpline if you’re not sure whether you’re eligible for the child addition. Pension Service helpline Telephone: 0800 731 0469 Textphone: 0800 169 0133 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469 Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm Find out about call charges You’ll usually get either £54.32 or £64.82 per week for each child or young person you’re responsible for. If they’re disabled, you may get more. How you’re paid All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account , for example a bank account.

You must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age to qualify for Pension Credit. If you’re in a couple you can start getting Pension Credit if either: you and your partner have both reached State Pension age one of you is getting Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age Your partner is your husband, wife or civil partner (if you live with them) or someone else you live with as if you were married. You can read about Pension Credit in Northern Ireland . If you already get Pension Credit and you’re in a couple You’ll continue to get Pension Credit if you were getting it before 15 May 2019 even if your partner is under State Pension age. If your entitlement stops for any reason, for example your circumstances change, you cannot start getting it again unless you (or your partner) are eligible under the new rules. If you already get Pension Credit and you’re single You’ll stop getting Pension Credit if you start living with a partner who is under State Pension age. You can start getting it again when your partner reaches State Pension age. Savings Credit You can only start getting Savings Credit if you (and your partner, if you have one) reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. If your partner did not reach State Pension age before 6 April 2016 If you’ve been getting Savings Credit since before 6 April 2016, you’ll continue to get it as long as there are no breaks in your entitlement. If you stop being eligible for Savings Credit for any reason, you will not be able to get it again. Working out your income When you apply for Pension Credit your income is worked out. This includes: State Pension other pensions most social security benefits, for example Carer’s Allowance savings, investments over £10,000 - for these £1 is counted for every £500 or part £500 earnings If you’re entitled to a private or workplace pension, the amount you’d expect to get is calculated as income from the date you were able to get it, if you had claimed it. You will not get the benefit of deferring your State Pension if you or your partner are on Pension Credit, for example you will not build up extra State Pension or a lump sum for deferring your State Pension . When working out if you can get Pension Credit, the income you’d get from your State Pension is included whether you’re claiming it or not. The calculation does not include: Attendance Allowance Christmas Bonus Disability Living Allowance Personal Independence Payment Housing Benefit Council Tax Reduction If you’re registered for Self Assessment , you must tell the Pension Service how much Income Tax you expect to pay for the current tax year - this affects how much Pension Credit you’ll get. Pension Credit if you leave Great Britain Your entitlement to Pension Credit may be affected if you leave Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for any period of time. Call the helpline before you go. You cannot get Pension Credit if you leave Great Britain permanently. Pension Service helpline Telephone: 0800 731 0469 Textphone: 0800 169 0133 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469 Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm Find out about call charges

You can start your application up to 4 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 3 months. This means you can get up to 3 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 Apply now Other ways to apply You can also apply for Pension Credit by phone or post. It is taking longer than usual to apply by phone because of coronavirus (COVID-19). A friend or family member can call for you if you cannot use the phone. Pension Credit claim line Telephone: 0800 99 1234 Textphone: 0800 169 0133 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 99 1234 Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm Find out about call charges To apply by post, print out and fill in the Pension Credit claim form or call the claim line to request a form. Send the claim form to the Pension Service, or ask someone to do it for you. Contact a voluntary organisation like Citizens Advice or AgeUK if you need help with the form. If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Report a change of circumstances

You need to report changes to you and your partner’s personal and financial circumstances. Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away. A change of personal circumstances can include: starting or stopping work going into hospital or a care home people moving in or out of your house moving house changing your name switching your bank account changes to your Post Office card account leaving England, Scotland and Wales for over 4 weeks you start or stop looking after a child or young person under the age of 20 You also need to report if your income or expenses change. This can include changes to: housing costs, for example ground rent or service charges benefits that anyone living in your home gets - including getting a new benefit or a benefit being stopped occupational or personal pensions - including if you start to get a new pension or take a lump sum out of your pension pot other income, for example foreign pensions or Working Tax Credits savings, investments or property Call the Pension Credit helpline if you’re not sure if you need to report a change. You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances. How to report Pension Service helpline Telephone: 0800 731 0469 Textphone: 0800 169 0133 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469 Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 6pm Find out about call charges You can also report by post. The address is on the letters you get about your Pension Credit. Changes to Assessed Income Periods ( AIPs ) An AIP is a period of time when you do not have to report changes to your pensions, savings or investments. Your Pension Credit award letter tells you if you have one. If you have an AIP with no end date you must still report changes to your personal circumstances, for example if you move into a care home. No new AIPs have been set since April 2016. If you have one it may end earlier than the date on your Pension Credit award letter. If your AIP is ending early, the Department for Work and Pensions will send you a letter with your new end date. Your AIP will not be renewed and you will need to report any changes to your circumstances when it ends. Read about the changes to AIPs including the new end dates . If you’ve been paid too much You may have to repay the money if you: did not report a change straight away gave wrong information were overpaid by mistake Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment .

Pension Credit

Overview

Pension Credit is an income-related benefit made up of 2 parts - Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income if it’s below £173.75 (for single people) or £265.20 (for couples). You may still be eligible if you have savings, a pension or your own home.

Savings Credit is an extra payment for people who saved some money towards their retirement, for example a pension.

You may not be eligible for Savings Credit if you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.

You do not pay tax on Pension Credit.

Use the Pension Credit calculator to work out how much you might get.

Print entire guide

Pension Credit

Overview

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Tell us whether you accept cookies

Pension Credit

Overview

Related content

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK