Make sure you're getting all the Pension Credit you're due, and everything it unlocks.
Pension Credit tops up a low income in retirement to a guaranteed weekly amount. It also opens the door to help with rent, council tax, heating, health costs and more, so even a small award can matter.
This pack takes you from “could I get it?” to a claim, for yourself or for someone you're helping.
“Pension Credit is worth more than £4,500 a year on average.”
Department for Work and Pensions, GOV.UK news release, 13 October 2026. Read it on GOV.UK
Claiming is free. You don't need to pay anyone to claim Pension Credit. Free help is available from Age UK, Independent Age and Citizens Advice, and you can apply yourself on GOV.UK. This pack is optional: everything in one place, in plain English.
- Checked 16 October 2026
- 2026/27 rates
- Fill-in worksheet
- Worked examples
- For you or someone you're helping
Checked against official GOV.UK and DWP sources on 16 October 2026.
One-off payment · Instant download · No subscription
Not useful? Contact us within 14 days for a refund.
Many people who could get it never claim
DWP's own estimate for April 2023 to March 2024: 62% of the people entitled to Pension Credit claimed it. Up to 910,000 entitled families did not, leaving up to £2.5 billion unclaimed.
2026/27 figures. Source: DWP, Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027; gov.uk/pension-credit.
Worked examples at 2026/27 rates
The pack shows its working, line by line. Here is the same kind of sum for three fictional households.
A single pensioner with a small part-time job
| State Pension | £180.00 |
| Earnings £40.00, less the £5 that is ignored | £35.00 |
| Income that counts | £215.00 |
| Guaranteed minimum | £238.00 |
Guarantee Credit £23.00 a week, about £1,196 a year
A couple with some savings
| Pensions between them | £350.50 |
| Savings £12,300: first £10,000 ignored, then £1 a week for each £500 or part of £500 | £5.00 |
| Income that counts | £355.50 |
| Guaranteed minimum for a couple | £363.25 |
Guarantee Credit £7.75 a week (about £403 a year), and the award opens the door to the extra help
When Attendance Allowance changes the sum
| State Pension £241.30 + private pension £40.00 | £281.30 |
| Without Attendance Allowance: above the £238.00 minimum | £0.00 |
| With Attendance Allowance (not counted as income), lives alone, no one paid Carer's Allowance for him: minimum rises by £86.05 | £324.05 |
Guarantee Credit £42.75 a week, about £2,223 a year
Fictional examples for illustration only, on the stated assumptions. Your amount depends on your own circumstances and the Pension Service makes the decision. A free benefits check from Age UK or Citizens Advice can confirm extra amounts such as the severe disability addition.
See real pages from the pack
Printable A4 pages, written in plain English. Tap any page to read it full size.
What's inside, and what each part helps you do
- 2026/27 figures at a glanceEvery rate and key date in one place, so you can check your numbers quickly.
- Who can get itState Pension age (now rising to 67), where you live, and the rules for couples and mixed-age couples.
- How the amount is worked outGuarantee Credit, the extra amounts for severe disability, caring, children and housing costs, and who can still get Savings Credit (including the rules for couples), with worked examples.
- Income and savings rulesWhat counts, what's ignored, the £10,000 rule (no fixed upper limit, but savings above it reduce the amount), and what happens if money is given away.
- Attendance AllowanceHow it can lead to more Pension Credit, and why it's worth claiming alongside.
- A fill-in eligibility worksheetAdd up income and savings and see whether it's worth claiming, with a completed example to follow.
- How to claim, step by stepOnline, by phone or by post, with an evidence checklist of what to have ready.
- Helping someone else claimWhat you can do with their permission, and how appointees and power of attorney work.
- BackdatingWhy claiming now matters, and how to ask for up to 3 months.
- Everything it can unlockHousing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments, a free TV licence at 75 or over, NHS costs and more.
- After you claimChanges you must report, checking your award letter, and avoiding overpayments.
- If you're refused, or the amount looks wrongHow to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and appeal, with free help.
- Trackers and a call logKeep track of your claim, everything it unlocked, and every call and letter.
- Common mistakes, free help and sourcesWhere free advice is, and the official pages behind every figure.
From “could I get it?” to a claim, in four steps
- CheckFind the State Pension age date and add up weekly income and savings, including a partner's. The worksheet does the sums with you.
- GatherUse the evidence checklist: National Insurance numbers, bank details, pension letters, savings statements and housing costs. If something's missing, you can still claim and explain.
- ClaimOnline (if you've already applied for your State Pension), by phone or by post. Ask for the claim to be backdated, up to 3 months.
- CollectOnce it's awarded, use the tracker to claim what it unlocks, from Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction to the Warm Home Discount and a free TV licence at 75 or over.
You can apply up to 4 months before you reach State Pension age.
Made for people who want to check, claim and collect, without missing a step
- People over State Pension age on a low or modest income, including homeowners and people with some savings
- Couples where you are both over State Pension age
- Sons, daughters, friends and carers sorting it out for someone (the pack has notes for helpers)
- Anyone told they “probably won't qualify” who wants to check the rules for themselves
- Northern Ireland: Pension Credit there is run separately (nidirect). The pack covers England, Scotland and Wales.
- People under State Pension age: mixed-age couples usually claim Universal Credit instead.
- Anyone who wants someone else to make the claim: Age UK, Independent Age and Citizens Advice can help for free.
What it is not
- No promised amounts: the Pension Service decides.
- Not an official DWP product.
- Not financial or legal advice.
- It doesn't make the claim for you.
Check it, claim it, and collect everything it unlocks.
Pension Credit Claim Pack 2026/27 · £4.99 one-off
- Instant download
- No subscription
- Updated for 2026/27
- 14-day refund
One-off payment · Instant download · No subscription
Not useful? Contact us within 14 days for a refund.
Claiming is free. You don't need to pay anyone to claim Pension Credit. Free help is available from Age UK, Independent Age and Citizens Advice, and you can apply yourself on GOV.UK. This pack is optional: everything in one place, in plain English.
Questions
Do I have to pay to claim Pension Credit?
No. Claiming is free, online, by phone or by post, and free help is available from Age UK, Independent Age and Citizens Advice. This pack is optional: it puts the rules, worksheets and checklists in one place, in plain English.
Who is it for?
People over State Pension age on a low or modest income, and the family members, friends or carers helping them claim. It covers England, Scotland and Wales.
Who is it not for?
People under State Pension age (mixed-age couples usually claim Universal Credit instead), and anyone in Northern Ireland, where Pension Credit is run separately.
Will it tell me whether I qualify?
It explains the rules and walks you through a fill-in worksheet with worked examples, so you can see whether it's worth claiming. Only the Pension Service can decide, and claiming costs nothing.
Is this advice, or an official DWP product?
Neither. It's general information from UK Benefits Calculator, which is independent and not part of GOV.UK or DWP. For advice on your own situation, talk to a free adviser.
What format is it, and how do I get it?
A printable A4 PDF, downloaded straight after payment. Your download link works for 30 days, for up to 25 downloads.
What if it isn't useful?
Contact us within 14 days of purchase and we'll refund you in full.
Written and reviewed by the UK Benefits Calculator editorial team. Checked against official GOV.UK and DWP sources on 16 October 2026, including DWP's benefit and pension rates for 2026 to 2027 and the State Pension Credit Regulations 2002.
UK Benefits Calculator is independent. It is not part of GOV.UK, HMRC or the Department for Work and Pensions and is not endorsed by DWP, Age UK, Citizens Advice or any organisation cited. Guidance is general information: check it against official sources, and get free specialist advice where your situation is complex. Payments are processed securely by Stripe.