Here’s what you need to know about DWP benefits once you reach retirement
People are being reminded that certain benefits will no longer be accessible upon reaching pensionable age. It is essential to recognise that when State Pension payments commence, certain other Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) support will come to an end.
Latest DWP figures show that the State Pension is presently providing essential financial support to around 13 million individuals across Great Britain. This recurring payment is currently worth up to £230.25 each week for recipients of the New State Pension (applied for after April 6, 2016), or £176.45 weekly for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
As reported by the Daily Record, the sum someone obtains from this contributory benefit depends on the quantity of National Insurance years they have accrued prior to attaining the present retirement age of 66 – with a minimum of 10 years necessary to be eligible for any State Pension entitlement. Importantly, this threshold will start rising to 67 from April for certain people.
The UK Government has additionally altered the manner in which the State Pension age rise is applied, which means that instead of reaching State Pension age on a specific date, those born between March 6, 1961 and April 5, 1977 will become entitled to claim the State Pension when they turn 67.
The planned change to the official retirement age has been enshrined in law since 2014, with a further rise from 67 to 68 expected to come into force between 2044 and 2046. For individuals approaching the official retirement age of 66 before the end of the current tax year (5 April 2026), it’s essential to grasp which entitlements will continue, fresh support you might qualify for, and those benefits no longer available for new applications.
Your State Pension age corresponds with your Pension Credit qualifying age, except if you are a gentleman born before 6 December 1953. You can confirm your State Pension age and establish whether you’re able to start receiving Pension Credit via the “Check your State Pension age” area of the GOV.UK website here.
Benefits affected by your pension age
Turn2us has created an essential guide to the benefits you cannot claim from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age. For full details on each of the topics listed below, visit the Turn2us website here.
Pension Credit age
When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
Turn2us advises: “If you live with a partner and one of you is pension age and the other is not yet pension age, benefit entitlement can be complicated.”
Use the Turn2us benefit calculator to see what benefits you’re entitled to, or get help from a benefits adviser.
State Pension age
When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) – the devolved disability benefit has now replaced all new and existing claims for PIP for people in Scotland – once you have reached State Pension age.
However, if you were already receiving DLA, PIP, or ADP, you can renew the claim even though you are over State Pension age. This can only be done as long as you are claiming for the same health conditions you received the award for and your last claim ended less than 12 months before you reached State Pension age.
People living in Scotland currently receiving DLA will be transferred to the new devolved Social Security Scotland system before the end of December.
Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance are also not available once you reach State Pension age.
Benefits not affected by your State Pension age
You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age:
- Child Benefit (delivered by HMRC)
- Carer’s Allowance – you may not be eligible for the full financial element depending on your income from State Pension
- Guardian’s Allowance
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
You can also claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age, but only if you meet the benefit-specific income threshold:
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Support
- Support for Mortgage Interest
- Help with Health Costs
- Winter Heating Payment – Scotland only
- Cold Weather Payment – England and Wales only
- Warm Home Discount Scheme
- Winter Fuel Payment
- Pension Age Winter Heating Payment – Scotland only, same qualifying rules as Winter Fuel Payment
For more details about benefits when you reach State Pension age, visit the Turn2Us website here.
