State Pension age changes - State Pension age and benefits

Your age may affect which benefits you can claim. When you reach State Pension age, you can start claiming some benefits but some other benefits will stop. There are also some benefits that you can claim at any age (as an adult).

Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit age unless you are a man born before 6 December 1953. You can check 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.

Benefits affected by your Pension age

Benefits you can claim when you are old enough:

State Pension age:

Basic State Pension is available to people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 if they paid enough national insurance contributions.

New State Pension is available to people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 if they paid enough national insurance contributions.

Attendance Allowance can be claimed if you are pension age or over and you have care needs.

Pension Age Disability Payment can be claimed if you are pension age or over, have care needs and live in certain areas in Scotland.

Pension Credit can be claimed once you (or your partner) have reached Pension age. Pension Credit is for older people on a low income. From 15 May 2019, you will only usually be able to claim Pension Credit if both you and your partner are over Pension Credit age. You can check this using our benefits calculator.

Winter Fuel Payment is available once you (or your partner) have reached Pension age., receive certain benefits and were eligible during a qualifying week. It is a one-off £200 or £300 payment per year towards your winter heating costs.

At age 80+

Winter Fuel Payment increases to £300 per year when you reach 80 years old.

Other help you can claim when you are old enough

At age 60+ 

When you are 60 or over, you are eligible for a Senior Railcard so you can pay cheaper fares on national rail. You can find out more on the Senior Railcard website.

State Pension age

Free local bus transport is available once you have reached State Pension age. You can apply for a pass from your local council. You can find your local council’s website on the Find your local council page on the GOV.UK website

At age 75+

If you are 75 or over and getting Pension Credit, you are entitled to a free TV licence. See TV and Telephone Costs for more information.

Benefits you can't claim when you reach State Pension age 

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Universal Credit stop when you reach pension age. 

Some people above State Pension age who are still working and receiving tax credits may be able to claim Universal Credit in certain situations. Read our guide on Working Tax Credit and Pensioners.

New Style Jobseeker's Allowance and Contributory / New Style Employment and Support Allowance stop when you reach State Pension age.

You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Adult Disability Payment or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) once you have reached State Pension age. If you were already claiming DLA, Adult Disability Payment or PIP, you can renew the claim even though you are over State Pension age, as long as you are claiming for the same health conditions and your last claim ended less than one year ago. (DLA claimants who were born before 8 April 1948 will not be transferred to PIP. Other claimants will be transferred to PIP).

Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance are not available once you reach State Pension age.

Benefits not affected by your Pension age

You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age:

• Child Benefit
• Carer’s Allowance
• Guardian’s Allowance
• Statutory Sick Pay

You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age as long as your income is low enough:

• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Support
• Support for Mortgage Interest
• Working Tax Credit (You can't make new claims for this but if you're already getting it you can carry on receiving it.)
• Child Tax Credit (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
• Warm Home Discount Scheme
• Winter Heating Payment (Scotland)