Pension credit: How much will I get?

This content was reviewed and approved by Tamlin Russell.

What is Pension Credit?

Pension Credit provides extra money if you’re over State Pension age and receive a low income. This can help with anything from living expenses to housing costs, such as rental fees and maintenance charges.

Pension Credit is divided into two parts – guarantee credit and savings credit. You may qualify for one or both depending on your circumstances. Either way, you could be due extra money to boost your income.

1. Guarantee credit

This is the core element of Pension Credit that tops up your weekly pension income to a guaranteed minimum level. In 2025/26, this amounts to:

2. Savings credit

If you reached State Pension age before April 2016, you could be entitled to savings credit if you’ve prepared for retirement through savings, a workplace pension, or a private pension. You could get:

I have a severe disability: How much Pension Credit will I get?

You could be entitled to an additional £82.90 a week if you have a severe disability and receive any of the following benefits:

• The UK Attendance Allowance

• The middle or higher care rate of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

• The daily living part of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• The Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)

• The standard or enhanced daily living rate of Scottish Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

How much Pension Credit will I get if I care for another adult?

You could be eligible for an extra £46.40 a week if you care for another adult. This applies if:

• You receive the Carer’s Allowance. If both you and your partner have claimed or are receiving Carer’s Allowance, you are both entitled to this amount.  

• You’ve applied for Carer’s Allowance but aren’t receiving payments because you already receive another benefit that pays a higher amount. 

• You get the Scottish Carer Support Payment.

How much Pension Credit will I get if I’m responsible for children or young people?

You could be entitled to an extra £67.42 a week for each child or young person you’re responsible for (£78.10 a week for the first child if they were born before 6 April 2017). The qualifying criteria states:

• The child or young person must be under the age of 20 and normally live at the same residence as you.

• If they’re over the age of 16 and under 20, they must be enrolled in or accepted for approved training (Foundation Apprenticeships, etc) or non-advanced education for an average of at least 12 hours a week (GCSEs, A levels, etc).

What if the child or young person is disabled?

You could qualify for an extra amount of Pension Credit if the child or young person you’re responsible for is disabled. It could mean an additional:

• £36.54 per week if you receive Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, or the Adult Disability Payment.

• £114.12 per week if the child or young person is blind or they receive the highest care rate of Disability Living Allowance or Child Disability Payment, or get the enhanced daily living rate of Personal Independence Payment or Adult Disability Payment.

Can I get Pension Credit to help with housing costs?

Yes, you could be eligible for Pension Credit to help cover housing costs, such as:

• Ground rent for leasehold properties
  

• Some service charges
  

• Fees for tents and site rents

The amount of Pension Credit you could receive will depend on your housing expenses and personal circumstances. However, if you meet the qualifying criteria, you could also get:

• Council Tax Reduction/Support: If you’re eligible, you’ll get a discount on your bill
  

• Housing Benefit: If you live in a rented property
  

• Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI): If you own the property you live in

What else can Pension Credit help me with?

Pension Credit creates a pathway to other financial benefits and helps boost your retirement income. For example:

Cold weather payments

If you receive Pension Credit, you’ll get cold weather payments too. These are paid automatically, you do not need to apply, and they won’t affect your other benefits.

Free TV licence

If you’re aged 75 or older and receive Pension Credit, you can also apply for a free TV licence. This also applies if your partner gets Pension Credit, but you don’t.

Medical costs

If you qualify for Guarantee Credit, you could also be eligible for help with NHS costs, including prescriptions, dental care, eye care and glasses, plus transport expenses for hospital appointments.

How is Pension Credit worked out?

Many pensioners are missing out on Pension Credit because they don’t know they qualify. Pension Credit is not automatic, so unless you make a claim, you won’t receive it.
Pension credit is worked out by considering several factors. To get Pension Credit, you must:

1. Live in the UK

That means England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Check out the Pension Credit rules in Northern Ireland.

2. Have reached State Pension age

In the UK, that means 66 for both men and women, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and to 68 between 2044 and 2046. The exact date you can claim your State Pension depends on your date of birth. You can check your State Pension age via the government website.

3. Your weekly income is below the threshold

To qualify for Pension Credit, your weekly income must be below £227.10 if you’re single, or £346.60 if you’re a couple. Income thresholds can be higher if you claim disability benefits or care for others. Your weekly income includes:

• State Pension

• Most social security benefits

• Earnings from other jobs, employment or self-employment

• Other pensions, such as private or workplace pensions

However, not all benefits count as income when applying for Pension Credit. For example, the following benefits are not counted:

• Adult Disability Payment

• Attendance Allowance 
  

• Child Benefit

• Housing Benefit 
  

• Disability Living Allowance

• Pension Age Disability Payment 

•  Personal Independence Payment

• Winter Fuel Payment 
  

• Council Tax Reduction

• Christmas Bonus

I deferred my pension. What happens now?

If you’re eligible for a personal or workplace pension but haven’t claimed it, the amount you would expect to get is still treated as income.

If you’ve deferred your State Pension, the amount you’d be entitled to is also counted as income.

In summary, you can’t earn extra for deferring your State Pension if you or your partner are receiving Pension Credit.

What about my savings and investments?

Savings and investments of £10,000 or less won’t affect your Pension Credit.

If you have over £10,000 in savings, every £500 above that amount takes away £1 off your weekly income amount. For example, £11,000 in savings would count as £2 less of weekly income.

When can I apply for Pension Credit?

You can apply for Pension Credit up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age. If you apply after reaching State Pension age, your claim can only be backdated by up to 3 months. This means your first payment could include up to 3 months of Pension Credit if you were eligible during that period.

How do I apply for Pension Credit?

If you have already applied for your State Pension, you can also apply for Pension Credit using the government’s online service. You can also apply by phone and by post.

You’ll need:

• Information about your income, savings and investments
  

• Your bank account details
  

• Your National Insurance number

Even if you only qualify for a small amount of Pension Credit, it is still beneficial to claim it as it means you may also be eligible for other benefits, such as a free TV licence, Council Tax Reduction, or Housing Benefit.

Do you need help with retirement and pension planning?

At LV=, we understand the benefits of strategic retirement and pension planning. To explore your options and discuss ways to maximise your retirement income, contact one of our retirement and pension advisers today.