Your age may affect which benefits you can claim. When you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age, you can start claiming some benefits and some other benefits stop. There are also some benefits that you can claim at any age (as an adult).
Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit age unless you are a man born before 6 December 1953. You can check your State Pension age and whether you can start claiming Pension Credit on the Check your State Pension age page of the government website.
Benefits affected by your pension age
Benefits you can claim when you are old enough
Pension Credit age
Pension Credit can be claimed once you (or your partner) have reached Pension Credit age. Pension Credit is for older people on a low income. From 15 May 2019 you will only be able to claim Pension Credit if both you and your partner are over Pension Credit age.
Winter Fuel Payment is available once you (or your partner) have reached Pension Credit age. It is a one-off payment £100 or £200 per year towards your heating costs.
At age 65+
Attendance Allowance can be claimed if you are 65 or over and you have care needs.
Savings Pension Credit is available to some people aged 65 or over. It is being phased out so it is not available to everyone. You can use our Benefits Calculator to check your entitlement.
State Pension age
Basic State Pension is available to people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 if they paid enough national insurance contributions.
New State Pension is available to people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 if they paid enough national insurance contributions.
At age 80+
Winter Fuel Payment increases to £150, £200 or £300 per year when you reach 80 years old.
Other help you can claim when you are old enough
At age 60+
When you are 60 or over, you are eligible for a Senior Railcard so you can pay cheaper fares on national rail. You can find out more on the Senior Railcard website.
State Pension age
Free local bus transport is available once you have reached State Pension age. You can apply for a pass from your local council. You can find your local council’s website on the Find your local council page on the Gov.UK website
At age 75+
At present people 75 or over are eligible for a free TV licence. However, from 1 June 2020 you also have to be getting Pension Credit to be entitled to a free licence, if you are 75 or over. You can apply for your free TV license on the Over 75 TV licence page of the TV licensing website
Benefits you can't claim when you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age
Pension Credit age
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Universal Credit stop when you (or your partner) reach Pension Credit age.
State Pension age
Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance and Contributory Employment and Support Allowance stop when you reach State Pension age.
You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) once you have reached State Pension age. If you were already claiming DLA or PIP, you can renew the claim even though you are over State Pension age, as long as you are claiming for the same health conditions and your last claim ended less than one year ago. (DLA claimants who were born before 8 April 1948 will not be transferred to PIP. Other claimants will be transferred to PIP).
Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance are not available once you reach State Pension age.
Benefits not affected by your pension age
You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age:
You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age as long as your income is low enough:
Updated: June 2019