The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new figures showing that the State Pension is providing crucial financial support to 12.7 million people across Great Britain. The current weekly payment stands at up to £221.20 for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £169.50 for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
The amount received from this contributory benefit depends on the number of National Insurance years accrued before reaching the current retirement age of 66 – a minimum of 10 years is required to qualify for any State Pension payment. As older individuals approach the official retirement age in the coming months, it’s vital to understand which benefits will continue, which new ones may now be eligible for, and which can no longer be claimed.
Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit qualifying age unless you are a man born before December 6, 1953, the Daily Record reports.
Benefits affected by your pension age
When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
Turn2us provides crucial advice for couples juggling benefits when one partner reaches State Pension age, warning: “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.”
State Pension age
When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Once you reach the pivotal moment of reaching State Pension age, you cannot make fresh claims for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP). But if you’re already receiving these benefits before hitting pension age, you’re allowed to renew your claim post-pension age for existing health conditions provided your previous award ended less than a year before.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that DLA claimants born before April 8, 1948, will remain with DLA and won’t have to migrate to PIP, whereas those born after this date will be transitioned to the new system. Additionally, Scots currently on DLA or PIP will join Social Security Scotland’s umbrella before we bid goodbye to 2025.
However, Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance bid farewell at State Pension age too.
Benefits not affected by your State Pension age
You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age:
- 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)
You can also claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age, but only if you meet the benefit-specific income threshold:
- 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 – only those over State Pension age in receipt of Pension Credit or other qualifying income-related benefits will receive the money from this year – find out more here
