Benefit entitlement changes when you reach each of two important ages: state pension age and Pension Credit qualifying age. From these ages, you can move from working age benefits onto benefits for older people. 

Here, we describe the most common benefits paid in retirement, with details of how to apply. Because of the complexity of the benefits system, it is best to get advice about benefits. 
 

State pension age 

Women born before 6 April 1950 reach state pension age on their 60th birthday. 

Men born before 6 December 1953 reach state pension age on their 65th birthday. 

Anyone born after these dates will have a higher state pension age. Under current legislation, State Pension Age for everyone reached 66 in October 2020. It will be 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046. 

Further changes 

The Pensions Act 2014 allows for the state pension age to be increased at a faster rate in the future.  The state pension age will be reviewed every five years. The state pension age will then be set according to a range of factors, including average life expectancy. It is intended that, on average, you should spend no more than one third of your adult life in retirement. 

This means that, if life expectancy rises as predicted, state pension age may rise to age 68 by the middle of the 2030s, age 69 by the late 2040s and age 70 by the 2060s. 

You can check your state pension age online. 
 

Pension Credit qualifying age 

Pension Credit qualifying age for both men and women is linked to women’s state pension age. If you are a woman, your Pension Credit qualifying age is the same as your state pension age. If you are a man, your Pension Credit qualifying age is the state pension age for a woman with your date of birth. Age UK provides further information on pension credits. 

Benefits available for older people 

State Retirement Pension (SRP) 

SRP has been around since the early twentieth century and is linked to the amount of national insurance contributions paid over a working lifetime, or national insurance credits received by being in receipt of certain benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance. Since 2010, 30 years of contributions or credits are required to give a full category A pension.  It is also possible for widowed people to receive a pension based on their late spouse's contribution record (category B pension). 

SRP can be paid abroad and can be paid if someone chooses to work after their pension date. 

The Pension Service should write to you if you are approaching pension age and invite you to apply. If you have not heard three months before you will reach pension age, you can apply by: calling 0800 731 7898 (or 0808 100 2658 in Northern Ireland) and making a claim over the phone or asking for a paper claim form to be sent to you online at www.gov.uk/claim-state-pension-online or www.nidirect.gov.uk/state-pension-online in Northern Ireland.  

Before reaching pension age, you can ask for a pension ‘forecast’ to calculate the amount of SRP that you will receive. You can do this by: 

• calling 0800 731 0175 
• writing to The Pension Service 9, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LU 
• completing your details online.  

Pension Credit (PC) 

Pension Credit is payable to people who have reached the qualifying age and who have an income below the weekly minimum level the government expects someone to live on. It can act as a ‘top-up’ on a SRP, or provide complete provision to people who do not qualify for a SRP. Pension Credit can be paid to single people or to couples. Following a change to the rules in May 2019, both members of a couple now need to be over State Pension age to claim. You will need to claim Universal Credit if one of you is under State Pension age. 

More information about Universal Credit 

Pension Credit is means-tested, which means that income such as earnings and some benefits will affect the amount paid, as will savings. An additional part of Pension Credit, called Savings Credit, can provide a little extra money for those who have made modest provision for retirement. It is no longer possible to make a new claim for Savings Credit and it is being phased out. It may still be paid if you and your partner reached pension age by 6.4.2016. Another advantage of Pension Credit is that it is one of the few benefits that can help with mortgage interest costs. 

Pension Credit can be claimed by calling 0800 99 1234 (or 0808 100 6165 in Northern Ireland). 

Flat Rate State Pension 

A new Flat Rate (or single tier) State Pension was introduced for anyone reaching state pension age after 5 April 2016. 

The Flat Rate State Pension: 

• replaces other pension elements (such as the second state pension and Savings Pension Credit) 
• is set at a rate above the basic level of means-tested support (ie guarantee pension credit level for a single person) 
• requires 35 years of National Insurance (NI) contributions or credits to receive the full amount 
• requires a minimum of 10 years’ contributions or credits to qualify for a smaller pro rata amount 
• is based on your individual NI contributions, not those of your spouse or civil partner. 
• takes into account NI contributions paid under the current system 
• provides transitional payments for those who would have received a higher SRP under the previous system.   

Attendance Allowance (AA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 

AA, DLA and PIP are benefits paid to people who have a disability. You can only be entitled to one of these benefits at a time. Which of these three benefits you are entitled to depends on your age and when you first claim. 

DLA and PIP are for people who first claimed a disability benefit when they were aged under 65. DLA is being abolished and gradually replaced by PIP. Adults (aged over 16) can no longer make a new claim for DLA. 

If you get DLA and were born on or before 8 April 1948, you can carry on getting DLA for as long as you meet the criteria. 

If you get DLA and were born after 8 April 1948, your DLA will stop and you will be invited to claim PIP at some point.   

AA, DLA and PIP are non-means-tested and non-contributory benefits for people with long-term illnesses or disabilities resulting in significant care needs. This means that they are not affected by savings, earnings or other benefits and do not depend on having paid National Insurance contributions to receive them. They can be paid in conjunction with all other benefits without negatively affecting the level those benefits are paid at and can lead to an increase in these benefits as well. 

AA is paid at two levels, low and high. It is awarded based on the level of attention and supervision that a person needs with day-to-day tasks or to help them avoid endangering themselves or others. As it is not based on diagnosis, a diagnosis of autism or Asperger syndrome will not automatically lead to entitlement. However, the care needs that many autistic people experience mean that many older people on the autism spectrum may be eligible for AA (if they have not previously qualified for DLA or PIP). 

DLA has two components, the care component that looks at the care or supervision that a person needs and the mobility component that can be paid if a person has difficulty getting around out of doors. 

PIP also has two components, daily living and mobility. The criteria also look at how you are affected by your disability. It uses points-based criteria. For more detail, please see our information on Personal Independence Payment.  

AA can be claimed by: 

• In England, Scotland and Wales - calling 0800 731 0122 to request a claim form, or by downloading the form 
• In Northern Ireland - calling 0800 220 674 or downloading a claim form online at: www.nidirect.gov.uk/attendance-allowance-rates-and-how-to-claim  

PIP can be claimed by: 

• In England, Scotland and Wales - calling 0800 917 2222 (for PIP) or writing to: Personal Independence Payment New Claims, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton, WV99 1AH  

In Northern Ireland – at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/personal-independence-payment-pipwww.nidirect.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-rates-and-how-to-claim  (for DLA) 

Rent and Council Tax 

Help with rent 

Housing Benefit can help towards the rent payments on your home. It can be claimed by people of any age who pay rent for their home. It is means-tested so will be affected by other income and savings, including some benefit income. 

Housing Benefit is due to be replaced by Universal Credit for people under State Pension age.  

People who live in residential homes are generally excluded from receiving Housing Benefit, because they do not have a liability to pay rent. 

Local authorities (councils) administer Housing Benefit in England, Scotland and Wales and claims can be made in a variety of ways, either by completing a paper claim or online via the local authority’s website. Local authorities may offer a form-filling service at their town hall or housing offices, and many will also provide a home visiting service for older people and those with disabilities. 

In Northern Ireland, claims can be made online or by calling the Housing Executive on 03448 920 902. 

For people enquiring about potential entitlement to Housing Benefit living in privately rented property, the Local Housing Allowance information on the Government's Housing Benefit web pages can give an indication of the maximum amount of benefit payable, though it will not be able to calculate the actual amount of benefit as this will be affected by income and savings. 

Housing Benefit can only help with the cost of rent payments. Help with mortgage interest repayments can be claimed if you are in receipt of Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit. 

Council Tax Support (Rate Relief in Northern Ireland) 

Council Tax Support can be claimed to help with Council Tax in England, Scotland and Wales  and Rate Relief can be claimed to help with rates in Northern Ireland. 

Council Tax Support or Rate Relief can be claimed by anyone who has a low income and pays Council Tax or rates, including people who own their own property. Some local authorities also provide a scheme called the Second Adult Rebate, administered by Council Tax Support departments, which can give a discount on Council Tax liability for people if they have an adult son, daughter, friend or family member living with them, if that person is on a low income themselves. 

Council Tax Support is claimed from your local authority.  

If you are a tenant in Northern Ireland, you can contact the Housing Executive on 03448 920 902. If you are an owner-occupier, call 0800 587 7477. 
 

Tax Credits and Child Benefit 

Working Tax Credit and other benefits 

Some people choose to work into their retirement. Working Tax Credit can sometimes be paid to people in this category, though it is means-tested and there are other conditions relating to receipt of certain benefits. Working Tax Credit is administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC); call 0345 300 3900 or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits.  

If you or your partner are getting means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax support, get advice before claiming Working Tax Credit as it can reduce your entitlement to these benefits. 

Working Tax Credit is being replaced by Universal Credit for most claimants. Universal Credit can only be claimed by people under Pension Credit age, so some working pensioners will be worse off after this change. 

Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit 

These benefits can be claimed by anyone who has the main responsibility for bringing up a child. This can include some older people. In some circumstances, you can claim up to the young person’s 20th birthday. 

Child Tax Credit will be abolished and replaced by Universal Credit. If you are under Pension Credit age and have responsibility for a child, you can claim Universal Credit. If you are Pension Credit age or older, you will be able to claim extra amounts of Pension Credit because you have dependent children. 
 

Benefits affected by retirement 

Reaching state pension age can often mean entitlement to a wider range of benefits as described above, but it can also mean that other benefits stop. Here are the main benefits affected. 

Carer’s Allowance 

Carer’s Allowance is a benefit paid to people who care for those who receive DLA, PIP or AA. It is an ‘overlapping benefit’ with SRP, which means that it cannot usually be paid at the same time. Only where a State Retirement Pension is less than Carer’s Allowance can the difference be paid. This is unusual, as Carer’s Allowance is currently £67.25 per week so in most cases when people reach pension age, entitlement to Carer’s Allowance ends. It is sometimes worth claiming Carer’s Allowance, even if the monetary value of the benefit cannot be awarded. This is because it can add an extra amount (known as the ‘carer’s premium’) to some means-tested benefits. Carer’s Allowance can be claimed by contacting the Carer’s Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297. 

Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance 

These benefits are paid to working age people who are unable to work due to sickness or disability. Entitlement ends at state pension age. 

Jobseeker’s Allowance 

Jobseeker’s Allowance cannot be received if a person is over state pension age. 

Other sources of help 

Government schemes 

Though not benefits as such, there are Government schemes which can help people in retirement. The main ones are outlined below. 

Winter fuel payments 

Winter fuel payments are payments to help with the cost of fuel bills in the winter months. 

A lump sum is paid every year to everyone who is at least of Pension Credit qualifying age. The payment is between £100 and £300 per year depending on your age, what benefits you get and who you live with. People who live in residential homes are often, but not always, excluded.  Payment should be automatic, but if you do not receive them a claim can be made via the winter fuel payment helpline 0800 731 0160 or online at https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim 

Cold weather payments 

Cold weather payments are separate to winter fuel payments and are paid to people receiving Pension Credit or certain other qualifying benefits. A cold weather payment is made if below freezing temperatures are recorded in your area for seven consecutive days or forecast to be. Payments should be automatic, but if you do not receive them, contact the local Jobcentre Plus office. 

Free prescriptions and other health costs 

People aged 60 and over are entitled to free prescriptions. Free NHS dental examinations are available for people aged 60 and over in Wales and everyone in Scotland. Throughout the UK, free dental treatment is available for people receiving Pension Credit (but not the savings element). Free eyesight tests are also available to people over 60 and again people receiving Pension Credit can qualify for vouchers towards the cost of glasses and contact lenses. 

Television licences 

Free TV licences are available to people over 75 who are in receipt of Pension Credit. Call TV Licensing on 0300 790 6131 or apply online. 

Travel 

Free off-peak nationwide bus travel is now available to all people who are over Pension  Credit qualifying age in the UK, and passes can be obtained from local authorities. In Greater London, the Freedom Pass scheme operates, offering all people living in London over Pension Credit qualifying age and some people under 60 classed as disabled free use of London tubes, buses, trams, London overground trains and some National Rail services. 
 

Help and advice 

• The Government-run website www.gov.uk (or https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/ for Northern Ireland) provides details of most benefits. 
• Age UK has information on benefits for older people.
• Advicelocal has information on local advice services throughout the UK.
• Citizens Advice has information about benefits and details of local Citizens Advice bureau.