The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed that the State Pension is currently providing crucial financial aid to 12.9 million individuals across Great Britain. The New State Pension, claimed after April 6, 2016, offers up to £221.20 per week, while the Basic State Pension (Category A or B) provides £169.50 weekly.
The amount one receives from this contributory benefit hinges on the number of National Insurance years accumulated before reaching the current retirement age of 66 – a minimum of 10 years is required to qualify for any State Pension payment.
As the official retirement age looms for many this year, it’s vital to understand which benefits will continue, which new ones may be available, and those no longer available for new claims.
Your State Pension age aligns with your Pension Credit qualifying age unless you are a man born before December 6, 1953, reports the Daily Record.
You can check your State Pension age and eligibility for Pension Credit on the ‘Check your State Pension age’ page on the GOV.UK website.
Benefits influenced by pension age
Reaching State Pension age brings significant changes to benefit claims. Charity Turn2us highlighted: “If you live with a partner and one of you is pension age and the other is not yet pension age, benefit entitlement can be complicated.”
To navigate these complexities, people are encouraged to use the Turn2us benefit calculator to determine their eligibility for various benefits or seek guidance from a benefits adviser.
According to the charity, you can no longer claim the following benefits when you reach the state pension age:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
New applications for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) which has taken over PIP claims in Scotland, are also no longer available after reaching State Pension age.
However, existing recipients of DLA, PIP, or ADP can continue their claims post-State Pension age, provided they reapply for the same health conditions previously awarded and do so within 12 months after their last claim ended and before surpassing State Pension age.
The DWP clarifies that DLA recipients born on or before April 8, 1948, will remain on DLA, while those born later will transition to PIP.
In Scotland, individuals currently on DLA or PIP will move to Social Security Scotland’s system by the end of 2025.
Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance also cease to be options once State Pension age is reached.
What benefits are still available for state pensioners?
If you have surpassed the State Pension age, these benefits are still available for claim:
- Attendance Allowance
- Child Benefit (delivered by HMRC)
- Carer’s Allowance – you may not be eligible for the full financial element depending on your income from State Pension
- Guardian’s Allowance
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
Additionally, these benefits can also be claimed post State Pension age, provided you meet the specific income threshold for each benefit:
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Support
- Support for Mortgage Interest
- Working Tax Credit (HMRC) – you can’t make new claims for this, but if you’re already getting it you can carry on receiving it
- Child Tax Credit (HMRC)- you can’t make new claims for this, but if you’re already getting it you can carry on receiving it
- Help with Health Costs
- Cold Weather Payment – now replaced by new Winter Heating Payment in Scotland
- Warm Home Discount Scheme
- Winter Fuel Payment.
Turn2us has compiled a comprehensive guide detailing the benefits you cannot claim from the DWP upon reaching State Pension age or Pension Credit age. For an in-depth look at each of the topics, visit the Turn2us website.
