The Department for Work and Pensions provides an advantageous program for state pensioners, in addition to top-up payments.
The DWP has confirmed that older individuals in a specific age bracket will receive additional weekly State Pension payments.
State Pensioners Over 80 May Qualify for Extra Financial Support
The 'Over 80 Pension' is accessible to people who have met the Labour Party government's qualifying retirement age and have made at least ten years of National Insurance (NI) contributions. Pensioners above the age of 80 may be eligible for further financial help.
You are not entitled to the over 80 pension if you attained State Pension age on or after April 6, 2016. You may apply for the over 80 pension if you are 80 or older and do not receive basic State Pension or if your basic State Pension falls below £101.55 per week in 2024-2025.
You may qualify if you lived in the UK for at least ten years out of a twenty-year period, which doesn’t have to be consecutive. This twenty-year period must include the day before you reached 80 or any day after. Alternatively, you can qualify if you were 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, the Isle of Man, or Gibraltar the day you tutned 80, or on the date you submitted the claim for this pension, whichever is later.
How to Qualify for the Over-80s Pension and Increase Your Weekly Payments
Your eligibility for the over-80s pension is not determined by National Insurance contributions. What you get is determined by the amount of basic state pension you receive, if any. If you do not receive the standard State Pension or earn less than £101.55 per week, you may be eligible to receive the difference up to this amount.
This means that if you are 80 years old and currently receive £43 per week in basic State Pension, your pension could potentially increase by £58.55, bringing your total to £101.55 per week. To apply, you can obtain a claim form from your local Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service.
It's worth noting that you have the option to start your claim as early as three months before your 80th birthday, giving you enough time to ensure your increased pension begins on time.