Pension-age support works differently from working-age benefits. Pension Credit, winter support, council tax help and pension-age examples are closely linked, so this hub is designed to help older households move through them as one joined-up journey.
Use the main estimator first, then move into the worked examples and explainers that match the change you are trying to understand.
Free Pension Credit calculator for 2026/27. Estimate weekly top-ups using income, savings and key additions, including the £10,000 savings disregard.
Check age, location and income assumptions against the current Winter Fuel Payment rules.
Estimate Cold Weather Payments using qualifying-benefit assumptions and the number of triggered cold spells in your area.
Estimate possible council tax support using local-bill size, income, benefits and savings. Independent UK checker.
Check whether a legacy Housing Benefit case may still qualify using weekly rent, income, savings and pension-age status.
Pension Credit 2026/27: who qualifies, how much savings you can have, Guarantee Credit rates, and how a small award unlocks council tax, heating and NHS support.
Even a £1-a-week Pension Credit award unlocks Council Tax Reduction, Winter Fuel Payment, a free TV licence over 75, NHS cost help and £25 Cold Weather Payments in 2026/27.
Worked Pension Credit examples for a single pensioner in 2026/27: income of £210 a week is topped up by £28.00 to reach the £238.00 guarantee, plus how savings change it.
Worked Pension Credit examples for a couple in 2026/27: joint income of £320 a week is topped up by £43.25 to reach the £363.25 guarantee, plus how savings change it.
Savings rules for UK benefits 2026/27: UC ignores savings below £6,000. Between £6,000 and £16,000 your award is reduced by £4.35/month per £250 over the threshold. At £16,000+, UC stops. Pension Credit uses a more lenient £10,000 disregard. PIP and Child Benefit are unaffected by savings.
Use these follow-up pages to move from the main estimate into worked examples, explanations and the questions that change awards most often.
Written and reviewed by James Whitfield and the editorial team.
Every figure is checked against current GOV.UK guidance and reviewed for the 2026/27 tax year. We explain the numbers in plain English with worked examples. Editorial standards · About us