Benefits for state retirement age
State Pension
Once you reach state retirement age, you may be entitled to receive a State Pension. You can check when your State Pension age is and find out more information.
State Retirement Pension is not means-tested, which means any savings or income you have is not taken into account.
Before you reach retirement age, you can check your State Retirement Pension forecast.
Warning: Once you reach State Retirement Age, your existing means-tested benefits will stop. You will need to claim your State Retirement Pension.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit which is paid to people over State Pension age who have a low income. Pension Credit can also help with certain housing costs such as ground rent or service charges. For help with mortgage, see support for mortgage interest.
Pension Credit can also pay amounts for any dependent children who live with you.
To qualify for Pension Credit, you must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age. How much Pension Credit you may get depends on what your income is (State Retirement Pension and occupational pension is treated as income).
Savings and capital up to £10,000 are ignored and there is no upper savings limit, so it is worth exploring making a claim even if you have savings over the £10,000.
Anything over £10,000 is subject to a ‘tariff income’. This means that for every £500 (or part of £500) over £10,000 it will be assumed that you have an income of £1.00, and that will be taken into account and your Pension Credit will be reduced.
If you are in doubt, seek advice from the Camden Advice Network.
Information is available about current Pension Credit rates.
Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit could help with paying for rent, ground rent or service charges. For help with mortgage, see Support for mortgage interest.
If you have reached State Pension age, you can make a new claim for Housing Benefit.
You can find out more about Housing Benefit and make a claim.
Council Tax Support
Council Tax support is a means-tested benefit which can be claimed by working age people, and people of state pension age if you are on a low income or have savings of under £16,000 (this saving limit does not apply if you receive or will be receiving Pension Credit).
You can apply for Council Tax Support to reduce the amount of Council Tax you need to pay.
Attention: If you are on Universal Credit, you should still apply for Council Tax Support because these are separate benefits.
You can apply for Council Tax Support if all of the following applies:
- You are liable for Council Tax
- You are on a low income or receiving means-tested benefits
- You or your partner have savings or assets of less than £16,000