Brits are being alerted that a broad range of benefits become unavailable upon reaching State Pension age. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has unveiled new data showing that the State Pension is offering vital financial aid to 12.9 million individuals across Great Britain.
The current value of this regular payment is up to £221.20 per week for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £169.50 weekly for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B). The amount someone gets from this contributory benefit depends on their National Insurance years accumulated before reaching the current retirement age of 66 – a minimum of 10 years is needed to qualify for any State Pension payment.
For those approaching the official retirement age in the upcoming months, it’s crucial to understand which benefits will continue, which new ones you may now be eligible for, and those you can no longer make a new claim for, , reports the Daily Record. 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 confirm 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.
Turn2us has put together an essential guide to the benefits you cannot claim from the DWP when you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age. For comprehensive details on each of the topics listed below, visit the Turn2us website, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Pension Credit age
When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:
Reaching State Pension age triggers changes in benefit entitlements, and the financial guidance organisation 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.”
They suggest using their benefits calculator to check which benefits you could claim, or to seek advice from a benefits adviser.
Upon reaching State Pension age, individuals can no longer start claims for certain benefits. New claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) are not possible after reaching this milestone; however, if you are already receiving any of these benefits, you can reapply provided that it is for the same health condition as before and the last award expired less than a year ago.
Benefits not available once you hit State Pension age include Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance. However, this marker does not affect all benefits—some continue regardless of reaching State Pension age.
Benefits not affected by your State Pension age
Even if you are over State Pension age, you can still claim these benefits:
- Carer’s Allowance – you may not be eligible for the full financial element depending on your income from State Pension
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- Child Benefit (delivered by HMRC)
- Guardian’s Allowance
Additionally, there are other benefits that you can claim if you meet the specific income threshold for each benefit:
- Housing Benefit
- Help with Health Costs
- Pension Credit
- Warm Home Discount Scheme
- Support for Mortgage Interest
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Cold Weather Payment – now replaced by new Winter Heating Payment in Scotland
- Council Tax Support
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