Pension credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over state pension age and on a low income. Pension credit is separate from your state pension. An estimated 880,000 low-income pensioner households, eligible for pension credit, fail to claim it.
Pension credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner. However, pension credit also acts as a gateway benefit, so it can open up access to other support including the winter fuel payment. Your total housing rent is also more likely to be covered if you’re eligible for pension credit and it can help with council tax and TV licence costs.
Your income and savings aren’t considered as part of assessing your eligibility, but if you have over £10k in savings this may impact the amount you receive.
Why this is important now
Pension credit is a gateway benefit, so can open up access to other support, including the winter fuel allowance. With the winter fuel allowance becoming means-tested, 21 December 2024 is the deadline for making a backdated claim for pension credit, in order to receive the winter fuel payment – a payment of either £200 or £300 to help you pay your heating bills for winter 2024 to 2025.
The Government has advised that if you’re eligible for the winter fuel payment you will receive a letter in October or November. If you don’t get a letter but you think you could be eligible, check here or call the winter fuel payment centre on 0800 731 0160 (you cannot make a claim by phone).
How to apply for pension credit
Details on eligibility and making a claim can be found here Pension Credit: Overview – GOV.UK or a friend or family member can call the pension credit claim line if you are unable to on 0800 99 1234.
You can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age. You can apply any time after you reach state pension age but your application can only be backdated by three months.
You will need to provide the following information about you (and your partner if you have one):
• National insurance number
• information about any income, savings and investments you have
• information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually three months ago or the date you reached state pension age).
You’ll also need your bank account details. Depending on how you apply, you may also be asked for your bank or building society name, sort code and account number.
You can apply by post by completing a pension credit claim form and sending to: Freepost DWP Pensions Service 3
Useful resources
We’ve included below some further resources to support you in understanding more about this topic:
