According to the most recent Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates, the State Pension provides vital financial support to approximately 12.7 million people in the United Kingdom, including more than one million in Scotland.
This regular payment is currently worth up to £221.20 per week for people receiving the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016) and £169.50 per week for those receiving the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
The amount received from the contributory benefit is determined by the number of National Insurance years accrued prior to reaching the present retirement age of 66; at least ten years are needed to be eligible for any State Pension payment.
For older persons approaching the formal retirement age in the coming months of this year, it's critical to understand which benefits will remain, which additional ones you may now be eligible for, and which you may no longer claim.
Except for men born before December 6, 1953, your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit qualifying age. On the GOV.UK website's 'Check your State Pension age' page, you can find out if you are eligible to claim Pension Credit.
Benefits Affected by Your Pension Age
Turn2us has compiled an essential reference to the benefits you cannot claim from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after you reach State Pension or Pension Credit age. For further information on any of the issues listed below, visit the Turn2us website.
Pension Credit Age
When you attain the State Pension age, you are no longer eligible to claim:
- Income-based Job Seekers' Allowance.
- Income-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
- Income Support.
- Universal Credit.
Turn2us cautions: "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 find out what benefits you're eligible for, or seek assistance from a benefits expert.
State Pension Age
When you attain the State Pension age, you are no longer eligible to claim:
- Benefits: Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA).
- Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Once you reach State Pension age, you cannot submit another claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Adult Disability Payment (ADP), as the new devolved disability payment has superseded all new PIP claims in Scotland.
However, even if you are past the State Pension age, you can renew your DLA, PIP, or ADP claim. This can only be done if you are claiming for the same medical issue for which you earned the award, and your last claim terminated fewer than 12 months before you achieved State Pension.
The DWP has stated that DLA claimants born before April 8, 1948, will not be shifted to PIP, but those born after that date will be.
People in Scotland who presently receive DLA or PIP will be moved to the new devolved Social Security Scotland system by the end of 2025.
Benefits that Are Not Affected by Your State Pension Age
You can receive these benefits even if you are past the State Pension age:
- Child Benefit (provided by HMRC).
- Carer's Allowance - You may not be qualified to receive the whole financial element based on your income from the State Pension.
- Guardian’s Allowance
- Statutory Sickpay (SSP).
You can claim these benefits even if you happen to be over the State Pension age, but only if you reach the benefit-specific income level:
- 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 £55.05 Winter Heating Payment in Scotland.
- Warm Home Discount Scheme.
- Winter Fuel Payment.
