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Pension Credit - introduction
There are two different types of Pension Credit. Guarantee Credit is for those aged 60 or over. Savings Credit is for those aged 65 or over. You may get the Savings Credit on its own or with the Guarantee Credit. Find out if you are entitled to Pension Credit and how and when to apply for this benefit.
Age 60 or over - Guarantee Credit
If you are aged 60 or over and living in Great Britain you may be entitled to the Guarantee Credit. This guarantees a minimum income by topping up your weekly income to:
- £130 if you are single
- £198.45 if you have a partner
These amounts may be more if you are disabled, have caring responsibilities or certain housing costs, such as mortgage interest payments.
While you must be at least 60 to get Pension Credit, you can still claim if your partner is under 60. If you or your partner are both over 60 either one of you can apply.
‘Partner’ is used to refer to your husband, wife or civil partner, or the person you live with as if they were your husband, wife or civil partner.
Between 6 April 2010 and 5 April 2020 the age from which you may get Pension Credit will change. It will gradually rise in line with the increase in the State Pension age for women from 60 to 65. Use the State Pension age calculator to find out more about the rise in women's State Pension age and when you can apply for Pension Credit.
Age 65 or over - Savings Credit
If you are aged 65 or over and living in Great Britain you may be entitled to Savings Credit. You may get the Savings Credit on its own or with the Guarantee Credit. You may be entitled to Savings Credit if you:
- are aged 65 or over
- have made some provision towards your retirement such as savings or a second pension
If you have a partner, at least one of you must be 65 or over to get the Savings Credit.
The Savings Credit can be up to:
- £20.40 a week if you are single
- £27.03 a week if you have a partner
You may still get the Savings Credit even if the money you have coming in is up to about:
- £181 a week if you are single
- £266 a week if you have a partner
These amounts may be more if you are disabled, have caring responsibilities or certain housing costs, such as mortgage interest payments.
Apply for Pension Credit by telephone
You can call The Pension Service on 0800 99 1234 or textphone 0800 169 0133. Lines are open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturdays.
When you phone, you need the following information:
- your National Insurance number
- information about your savings, investments and income
- details of the account into which you would like any Pension Credit payments to be paid
An adviser will help you apply for Pension Credit and let you know what happens next.
The Pension Service can also help you apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit at the same time as your application for Pension Credit.
What if you don’t speak English?
If you don’t speak English then an interpreter can help you apply. Call Freephone 0800 99 1234. An adviser and interpreter will call you back.
Lines are open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Friday and 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturday.
Apply for Pension Credit in writing
You can download, print and complete the application form and post free of charge to your pension centre.
You can also download and complete an application form on your computer. You can then print it and post it free to your pension centre.
To find out where to send your Pension Credit application form, call The Pension Service on 0845 60 60 265 (0845 60 60 275 for Welsh speaking customers living in Wales), Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.
When to apply for Pension Credit
You can apply up to four months before the date from which you want to start getting Pension Credit. If you were born before 6 April 1950 the earliest age you can get Pension Credit from is 60. If you were born after this date, use the State Pension age calculator to find out the date you can get Pension Credit from.
The maximum period that your Pension Credit claim can be backdated is 3 months.
If you want Pension Credit to start from a past or future date, you need to tell The Pension Service when you apply.
Income, benefits and Pension Credit
Your entitlement to Pension Credit will be affected by how much income you have. Find out what income counts towards Pension Credit, how Pension Credit is paid and how it might affect your other benefits.
Get a Pension Credit estimate
Use the Pension Credit calculator to get a Pension Credit estimate. This online calculator is quick and easy to use and will tell you how much Pension Credit you might get. Find out more about the Pension Credit estimate on the following page:
Examples of Pension Credit
See examples of how Pension Credit is calculated depending on age and circumstances. These examples give a better understanding of how Pension Credit applies to a real-life situation.
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