Pension Credit 2026/27: How Much You Get and How to Claim

Pension Credit is one of the most underclaimed benefits in the UK, with estimates suggesting around a third of eligible pensioners do not receive it. Yet it can be worth thousands of pounds a year and -- crucially -- it acts as a gateway to a range of other benefits. Here is a complete guide for 2026/27.

What Is Pension Credit?

Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit for people of State Pension age (currently 66 for both men and women). It has two components: Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. Most new claimants are only eligible for Guarantee Credit, as Savings Credit was closed to new entrants born after 5 April 1951.

Guarantee Credit: The Core Entitlement

Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to a minimum level:

• Single person: GBP 218.15 per week
• Couple: GBP 332.95 per week

These figures are for 2026/27. If your income from all sources -- State Pension, private pensions, annuities, some savings income -- is below these amounts, Guarantee Credit makes up the shortfall.

Income is assessed on a weekly basis. Not all income counts -- for example, housing benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, and Attendance Allowance are disregarded. Earned income from employment is partially disregarded (the first GBP 5 per week for single people, GBP 10 for couples).

Capital above GBP 10,000 is assumed to generate a notional income of GBP 1 per GBP 500 (or part thereof) above that threshold. This means that GBP 16,000 in savings, for instance, adds GBP 12 per week to your assumed income, reducing your Guarantee Credit entitlement. Capital above GBP 10,000 does not disqualify you -- it just reduces what you receive.

Savings Credit: Closed to New Entrants

Savings Credit was a small top-up for people who had made some provision for their retirement beyond just the basic State Pension. It is worth a maximum of GBP 17.01 per week for a single person or GBP 19.04 per week for a couple in 2026/27.

However, Savings Credit is only available to people (or couples where at least one person) reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016. For almost everyone newly claiming Pension Credit today, Savings Credit is not available. If you already receive Savings Credit as a continuing award, you will continue to receive it as long as you remain eligible.

Additional Amounts

Your Guarantee Credit amount can be higher than the standard minimum if you have additional needs. Additional amounts may apply if:

• You are severely disabled and receiving a qualifying disability benefit
• You are a carer receiving Carer's Allowance
• You have housing costs (a housing addition can be included)

These additions are assessed during the claim process. It is worth disclosing all relevant circumstances as they can significantly increase your entitlement.

Passporting to Other Benefits

Receiving Pension Credit -- even a penny -- unlocks eligibility for a range of other means-tested support:

• Housing Benefit: Full Housing Benefit to cover rent if you are a private or social tenant
• Council Tax Reduction: Full or near-full council tax support in many councils
• NHS benefits: Free prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests, and sight tests; help with transport to hospital
• Warm Home Discount: A GBP 150 annual discount on electricity bills
• Cold Weather Payment: GBP 25 per 7-day cold snap (temperature at or below 0 degrees Celsius)
• Free TV licence: For those aged 75 and over on Pension Credit

The combined value of these passported benefits can be substantially larger than the Pension Credit payment itself. This is why claiming even a small amount of Pension Credit is worthwhile -- the passported benefits are the real prize for many claimants.

How to Claim

You can claim Pension Credit:

1. By phone: Call the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 (free, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm). You will need your National Insurance number, bank details, information about income, and details of savings and investments. You can claim up to four months in advance of reaching State Pension age.

2. Online: Via the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator and online claim form. This can be quicker if you have all your information to hand.

3. By post: Download and complete a claim form from GOV.UK and send it to the Pension Service.

Claims can be backdated by up to three months if you were eligible but did not claim. This is automatic -- you simply need to ask for backdating when you make your claim.

Common Reasons People Do Not Claim

Many eligible pensioners do not claim because they believe they have too much in savings, they own their home, or their income is close to the threshold. In fact:

• Homeownership does not affect Pension Credit eligibility
• Capital up to GBP 10,000 is ignored entirely
• Being close to the threshold still means entitlement, and that entitlement unlocks passported benefits

If you are unsure whether you qualify, use the government's Pension Credit calculator at GOV.UK or call the helpline. There is no penalty for finding out you are not eligible.