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Pension Credit

Pension Credit

Understanding your State Pension

Pension Credit can top up your low income if you've reached State Pension age. Lots of people who qualify for it aren’t claiming it, so it’s worth checking if you can get it.
To help with the rising cost of living, the government recently announced a £650 one-off payment for people on means-tested benefits. If you're getting any of the following benefits, you will receive this payment in two lump sums (of £326 and £324), the first in July and the second in the autumn:
Visit the government's page on the Cost of living payment for more information.
Over-75s now have to pay for their TV licence, unless they're getting Pension Credit. That means it’s more important than ever to check you’re not missing out on claiming Pension Credit. Check if you qualify by using our online benefits calculator.
There are two types of Pension Credit: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
To qualify for Guarantee Pension Credit, you must be State Pension age. Use the Gov.uk online tool to check when you'll reach State Pension age.
Your weekly income, including assumed income from savings and capital over £10,000, will need to be less than the minimum amount the government says you need to live on. For 2022/23, this is £182.60 for a single person and £278.70 for a couple. This amount could be higher if you're disabled, a carer or have certain housing costs.
You can only get Savings Credit if:
Read our factsheet on Pension Credit for full details.
You can use our free benefits calculator to work out if you might be able to get it.
Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to:
An example:
Mr Smith 76 years old. He is single, rents his home and has a State Pension of £129.20 a week and an occupational pension of £25 a week. He also has savings of £11,000. The first £10,000 are ignored, and an extra £1 of income is counted for every £500 above this. This means he has a deemed income from savings of £2 a week. So, his income is calculated as:
£129.20 State Pension + £25.00 occupational pension + £2.00 deemed income = £156.20 total income
Mr Smith’s appropriate minimum guarantee is £182.60
£182.60 appropriate minimum guarantee – £156.20 income = £26.40
This gives him Guarantee Credit of £26.40 a week.
You might be able to get more than this if you’re severely disabled, a carer, or have certain housing costs.
If you get Guarantee Pension Credit, you'll be entitled to claim other benefits, including:
Savings Credit can give you up to:
The exact amount you’ll get depends on your income and savings.
To make a claim for Pension Credit, call the claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can also claim for Pension Credit online, if you've already claimed your State Pension and there are no children or young people included in your claim.
When you claim, you’ll need the following information to hand:
If you have a partner, you'll need the same details for them too.
If you can’t claim by phone or online, ask a relative or a voluntary organisation - such as a local Citizens Advice - to request a paper application form on your behalf. You can also download the form to print out.
To help someone else fill in the form, read our tips on how to help someone to claim.
Since May 2019, the rules if you’re in a couple where one of you is over State Pension age and one is under have changed.
You can only make a new claim for Pension Credit if:
If you already get Pension Credit, your payments will continue, as long as there are no changes to your circumstances.
Read our factsheet Pension Credit for more information or call our free helpline on 0800 319 6789 to arrange to speak to an adviser.
To help someone else apply for Pension Credit, see our tips on how to help someone to claim.