Pension Credit

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 will need to be less than the minimum amount the government says you need to live on. For 2024/25, this is £218.15 for a single person and £332.95 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:

• you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, or you have a partner who reached State Pension age before this date and was already receiving it
• and you have qualifying income of at least £189.80 a week for a single person and £301.22 a week for a couple.

Read our factsheet Pension Credit for full details.

Use our free benefits calculator to work out if you might be able to get it. You can also call our free Helpline on 0800 319 6789 to arrange to speak to an adviser.

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to:

• £218.15 for a single person
• £332.95 for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting).

You might be able to get more than this if you're disabled or a carer, or you have certain housing costs.

Savings Credit can give you up to:

• £17.01 a week for a single person
• £19.04 a week for a couple (married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting).

The exact amount you’ll get depends on your income and savings. Your income includes assumed income from savings and capital over £10,000.

Here's an example:

Mr Smith is 76 years old. He is not a carer and he has no health conditions or personal care needs. He is single, rents his home and has a State Pension of £140.21 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 an assumed income from savings of £2 a week. So, his income is calculated as:

• £140.21 State Pension + £25.00 occupational pension + £2.00 assumed income = £167.21 total income
• Mr Smith’s appropriate minimum guarantee is £218.15
• £218.15 appropriate minimum guarantee – £167.21 income = £50.94

This gives him Guarantee Credit of £50.94 a week.

If you get Guarantee Pension Credit, you may qualify for other benefits, including:

• help with NHS costs, including free dental treatment and travel costs for NHS treatment
• help with the cost of glasses and contact lenses
• Housing Benefit if you rent
• reduced Council Tax
• Cold Weather Payments or a Winter Heating Payment (in Scotland)
• a Warm Home discount.

If you’re over 75 years old, you can also apply for a free TV licence.

To apply for Pension Credit, call the claim line on 0800 99 1234. You can also claim online if you've already applied for your State Pension. 

You can apply for Pension Credit up to four months before you reach State Pension age, and any time after. Claims for Pension Credit can be backdated by up to three months if you qualified for it for the whole of that period. 

When you claim, you’ll need the following information:

• your National Insurance number
• information about your income, including your pensions
• details of your savings and investments
• your bank account details.

If you have a partner, you'll need the same details for them too.

You can also download the form to print out. If you need support to fill in the form, one of our advisers can help you complete it over the phone. Call our Helpline on 0800 319 6789 to book an appointment.

You can also get help from a voluntary organisation, such as a local Citizens Advice.

When posting your completed form back, you do not need to add a stamp to your envelope. 

You cannot usually make a new claim for Pension Credit if you live with a partner who is under State Pension age unless:

1. one of you reached State Pension age before 15 May 2019, AND
2. one of you has been claiming pension age Housing Benefit since 15 May 2019 as part of the same couple. 

If you cannot claim Pension Credit, you may be able to claim Universal Credit instead, until you both reach State Pension age. Contact the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644 for more information.