The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the State Pension is providing essential financial support for 12.7million people across Great Britain, including more than one million living in Scotland. This regular payment is worth up to £221.20 per week for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £169.50 each week for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
How much someone receives from the contributory benefit depends on the number of National Insurance years they have accrued before reaching the current retirement age of 66 – you need at least 10 to qualify for any State Pension payment.
For older people approaching the official age of retirement over the coming months this year, it’s important to know which benefits will continue, new ones you may now qualify for and those you can no longer make a new claim for.
Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit qualifying age unless you are a man born before December 6, 1953. You can check your State Pension age and whether you can start claiming Pension Credit on the ‘Check your State Pension age’ page of the GOV.UK website here.
Benefits affected by your pension age
Turn2us has created an essential guide to the benefits you cannot claim from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age. For full details on each of the topics listed below, visit the Turn2us website here.
Pension Credit 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 advises: “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.”
Use the Turn2us benefit calculator to see what benefits you’re entitled to, or get help from a benefits adviser.
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)
You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) – the new devolved disability benefit has replaced all new claims for PIP for people in Scotland – once you have reached State Pension age.
However, if you were already receiving DLA, PIP, or ADP you can renew the claim even though you are over State Pension age. This can only be done as long as you are claiming for the same health conditions you received the award for and your last claim ended less than 12 months before you reached State Pension age.
The DWP has said DLA claimants who were born before April 8, 1948 will not be transferred to PIP, however, those born after that date will be.
People living in Scotland currently receiving DLA or PIP will be transferred to the new devolved Social Security Scotland system before the end of 2025.
Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance are also not available once you reach State Pension age.
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
For more details about benefits when you reach State Pension age, visit the Turn2Us website here.