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All about Pensions

Pension Credit

Eligibility for Pension Credit 

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Severe Disability Allowances and caring for others. 

Help with housing costs etc.. Info re savings 

Apply  here online for Pension Credit 

You can use the online service if you have already applied for your State Pension.

Apply now

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Information you’ll need

You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:

  • National Insurance number

  • information about any income, savings and investments you have

  • information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually 3 months ago or the date you reached State Pension age)

You’ll also need your bank account details. Depending on how you apply, you may also be asked for your bank or building society name, sort code and account number.

Apply for here your Pension online.

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Start now

You’ll need:

  • the date of your most recent marriage, civil partnership or divorce

  • the dates of any time spent living or working abroad

  • your bank or building society details

  • the invitation code from the letter about getting your State Pension

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If you do not have your letter and you’ll reach State Pension age in the next 3 months, you can request an invitation code.

This service is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

There’s a different process if you live in Northern Ireland.

 

Before you start

Applying online is the quickest way to get your State Pension, but you can also phone the Pension Service to get a State Pension claim form posted to you.

Send your completed form to:

Pension Service 8
Post Handling Site B
Wolverhampton
WV98 1AF

There’s a different way to claim your pension from abroad, including the Channel Islands.

If you do not want to claim yet, you can delay your State Pension.

Claiming your pension 

 

 Eligibility

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You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension if you’re:

  • a man born on or after 6 April 1951

  • a woman born on or after 6 April 1953

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The earliest you can get the new State Pension is when you reach State Pension age.

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If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you’ll get the State Pension under the old rules instead.

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Your National Insurance record

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You’ll usually need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any State Pension. They do not have to be 10 qualifying years in a row.

This means for 10 years at least one or more of the following applied to you:

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If you’ve lived or worked abroad you might still be able to get some new State Pension.

You might also qualify if you’ve paid married women’s or widow’s reduced rate contributions.

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Working after State Pension age

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You do not have to stop working when you reach State Pension age but you’ll no longer have to pay National Insurance.

You can also request flexible working arrangements.

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The full new State Pension is £185.15 per week.

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The actual amount you get depends on your National Insurance record.

The only reasons the amount can be higher are if:

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You can get a State Pension forecast to find out how much you could get and when.

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You can still get a State Pension if you have other income like a personal pension or a workplace pension.

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You might have to pay tax on your State Pension.

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If you’ve reached State Pension age and you’re on a low income, you may also qualify for Pension Credit, even if you’ve saved money for retirement.

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How it’s paid

After you’ve made a claim you’ll get a letter about your payments.

The new State Pension is usually paid every 4 weeks into an account of your choice. You’re paid in arrears (for the last 4 weeks, not the coming 4 weeks).

There are different rules if you live abroad.

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Your first payment

Your first payment will be within 5 weeks of reaching State Pension age. You’ll get a full payment every 4 weeks after that.

You might get part of a payment before your first full payment. The letter will tell you what to expect.

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This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and easy read format.

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