Pension Credit calculator.
Pension Credit tops your weekly income up to a guaranteed minimum if you're over State Pension age. It also opens the door to Housing Benefit, a free TV licence (if 75+), Cold Weather Payments and council tax discounts — about £800m a year goes unclaimed.
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Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit
Pension Credit has two parts:
- Guarantee Credit — tops your weekly income up to £227.10 (single) or £346.60 (couple). This is the main element and what most claimants receive.
- Savings Credit — a small reward for having modest savings or other pension income, available only if you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. Up to £17.30/week single, £19.36/week couple.
Almost everyone we calculate for falls under Guarantee Credit only. The Savings Credit eligibility cutoff means it's a closed group that's gradually shrinking.
Mixed-age couples
If one partner is over State Pension age and the other is under, the household generally has to claim Universal Credit rather than Pension Credit. This rule came in on 15 May 2019 and significantly reduced incomes for many older couples.
Exception: if you were already on a pension-age benefit before that date, you keep claiming Pension Credit. If you didn't claim before 15 May 2019, you can't now while your partner is still under State Pension age.
What Pension Credit unlocks
Pension Credit is a gateway benefit — receiving even £1/week of it qualifies you for a long list of other help:
- Full Housing Benefit if you rent.
- Full Council Tax Reduction in nearly all councils.
- Free TV licence if you're 75 or over.
- Warm Home Discount (£150 a year off your electricity bill).
- Cold Weather Payments (£25 per qualifying week of severe weather).
- Help with NHS costs (dental, opticians, prescriptions).
- Discounted train fares with the Senior Railcard, plus £140 a year in additional discounts in some areas.
This is why it's worth claiming even if the weekly amount is tiny — the doors it opens often exceed the headline figure.
How to apply
Apply online at gov.uk/pension-credit, by phone (0800 99 1234, free), or by post. You can apply up to 4 months before reaching State Pension age. Backdating is possible for up to 3 months automatically.
If you have a partner, you apply as a couple — they assess your joint weekly income against the couple's threshold of £346.60. Both pensions and earnings are included; PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance are not counted as income.
| Element | Single | Couple |
|---|---|---|
| Guarantee Credit — minimum weekly income | £227.10 | £346.60 |
| Severe Disability addition | £82.90 | £165.80 (both) |
| Carer addition | £46.40 | £46.40 |
| Savings Credit (older claimants only) — max | £17.30 | £19.36 |
Frequently asked questions.
Who qualifies for Pension Credit?
You must be at or over State Pension age (currently 66) and live in the UK. If you have a partner, both of you must qualify, or you must already have been claiming a pension-age benefit before 15 May 2019.
How much can I have in savings?
There's no upper savings limit for Pension Credit. Savings above £10,000 are converted into "deemed income" at £1/week per £500. So even £50,000 in savings only adds about £80/week of deemed income — many pensioners with savings still qualify.
Does my State Pension count as income?
Yes. Your State Pension, private pensions, earnings, and most other income count. PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance do not count.
Can I get Housing Benefit alongside Pension Credit?
Yes. Pension-age renters claim Housing Benefit (not the UC housing element), and Guarantee Pension Credit gives you maximum Housing Benefit automatically.
Why is Pension Credit so under-claimed?
Around 800,000 eligible pensioners don't claim it, often because they assume their pension or savings disqualifies them, or because the application feels intrusive. The Money & Pensions Service runs free uptake campaigns each winter — and if you're 80+ and live alone, take 10 minutes to check.