What is Pension Credit?
Pension Credit tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level of £182.60 a week for single pensioners or £278.70 for couples. It is a tax-free payment for those who:
- have reached Pension Credit qualifying age, which is State Pension age, and
- live in Great Britain
Someone may still get Pension Credit if they:
- have not paid National Insurance contributions
- have some savings or a small pension
- live with their grown-up family
- own their own home
A quick guide to entitlement
There are 4 main questions when considering whether a pensioner may get Pension Credit:
- How old are they?
- If they have a partner, how old is their partner?
- What is their weekly income? Is it less that £182.60 if they are single or £278.70 if they are a couple?
- Do they have any savings? Have they got less than £10,000?
People who have more income or savings than this may still qualify for Pension Credit. But these questions are a good basic indication of who is likely to qualify. If they are over 65 and reached their State Pension age before 6 April 2016, they could still qualify for Pension Credit if their weekly income is less than:
- £218.80 if they are single
- £319.20 if they are a couple