Pensioners with a particular income level could be eligible for up to £106 weekly from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to help with everyday expenses. Currently, the State Pension provides a regular income for approximately 13 million older individuals in the UK.
This is accessible for those who have attained the Government’s set retirement age of 66 and have made a minimum of 10 years of National Insurance contributions. But, as reported by the Daily Record, people over the age of 80 who either do not receive any Basic State Pension or have an income of less than £105.70 a week, might be entitled to extra financial aid for day-to-day living costs.
The “over 80 pension” grants £105.70 weekly to seniors not getting any Basic State Pension, or it supplements their income to reach that sum. Those over 80 on a low income might also qualify for Pension Credit, potentially boosting their yearly finances by more than £4,300 for the 2025/26 fiscal year.
For claiming the over 80 pension, it’s essential to recognise that claims are not permitted if you reached State Pension age post- April 6 2016 – those individuals fall under the New State Pension scheme.
The guidance on GOV.UK indicates that you can claim the over 80 pension if all of the following conditions are met:
- You are 80 or over
- You do not get Basic State Pension or your Basic State Pension is less than £105.70 a week
- You were resident in the UK for at least 10 years out of 20 (this does not have to be 10 years in a row) – this 20 year period must include the day before you turned 80 or any day after
- You were “ordinarily resident” in the UK, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar on your 80th birthday or the date you made the claim for this pension, if later.
UK expats or those moving to an EEA country or Switzerland should pop onto GOV.UK for guidance on pensions and benefits for UK nationals. Your eligibility for the over 80 pension is not based on National Insurance contributions.
How to claim
To make a claim, you can get a form from either your local Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service. The earliest you can claim is three months before your 80th birthday. You can request a claim form from the Pension Service by ringing 0800 731 7898.
Full details are available on GOV.UK here.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit boosts weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level of £227.10 for single pensioners or £346.60 for couples. This tax-free payment is available for those who have reached the Pension Credit qualifying age, which is State Pension age, and reside in Great Britain.
The quickest method to verify eligibility for Pension Credit is through an online check. Elderly people, or their friends and family, can swiftly check their eligibility and get an estimate of what they may receive by using the online Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here.
Alternatively, pensioners can directly contact the Pension Credit helpline to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 – lines are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
