Pension Credit: how to claim the top-up that hundreds of thousands miss
Guarantee Credit lifts income to £238 a week single or £363.25 a couple and unlocks a free TV licence, housing help and more
Pension Credit tops up the weekly income of people over State Pension age, and it is one of the most underclaimed benefits in the country. Hundreds of thousands of eligible households do not claim, often because they assume a small private pension or modest savings rule them out. This guide explains the 2026/27 figures, what else a claim unlocks and how to apply, including three months of backdating.
What Pension Credit is
There are two parts.
Guarantee Credit tops up your weekly income to a minimum level. For 2026/27 that is £238.00 for a single person and £363.25 for a couple. If your income is below those figures, Guarantee Credit makes up the difference. Higher minimums apply if you have a severe disability, are a carer, or have certain housing costs.
Savings Credit is an extra payment for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and have some savings or income above the basic State Pension. It is worth up to £17.96 a week single or £20.10 a couple. If you reached State Pension age after that date, only Guarantee Credit applies.
| Part | Single | Couple |
|---|---|---|
| Guarantee Credit minimum income | £238.00 | £363.25 |
| Savings Credit maximum | £17.96 | £20.10 |
Why people wrongly rule themselves out
- Savings. There is no upper savings limit. The first £10,000 is ignored entirely. Above that, each £500 counts as £1 a week of income. Someone with £20,000 in savings has £20 a week of assumed income, which still leaves plenty of room to qualify.
- Owning a home. Homeowners can claim. The property you live in is not counted.
- A small private pension. It counts as income, but if your total is still under the minimum you qualify for the shortfall.
- Only a few pounds a week. Even a £1 award is worth claiming, because it opens the door to the passported benefits below.
- Living with family. Only your and your partner's income counts, not other adults in the house.
What a claim unlocks
A Guarantee Credit award passports you to other support that is often worth more than the Pension Credit itself.
| Passported help | What it is worth |
|---|---|
| Free TV licence (75 and over) | Around £175 a year |
| Housing Benefit or help with rent | Can cover all eligible rent |
| Council Tax Reduction | Can cover the full bill, run by your council |
| Warm Home Discount | £150 off electricity this winter |
| Winter Fuel Payment | Protected, no clawback at your income level |
| NHS costs | Free dental treatment, glasses vouchers, travel to hospital |
| Cold Weather Payments | £25 for each seven-day cold spell |
For a pensioner paying full council tax on a Band D home, the Council Tax Reduction alone can be worth over £2,000 a year.
How to claim
You can claim up to four months before you reach State Pension age. Have these ready: your National Insurance number, details of income including State Pension and any private pensions, savings and investments, and your housing costs.
- Online at gov.uk/pension-credit, the quickest route.
- Phone the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234 (Monday to Friday).
- Post, by requesting a paper form.
Claims are backdated up to three months if you were eligible during that time, so do not delay because you have missed a date.
Watch out for
- Report changes such as a new pension starting or a partner moving in. Overpayments are recovered.
- If your claim is refused and you think it is wrong, ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month.
- Free help with the form is available from Citizens Advice and Age UK.
- Attendance Allowance, which is not means-tested, can increase the Guarantee Credit minimum through a severe disability addition. Check both.
Full rules and the online claim are at gov.uk.