The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is issuing boosted payments of up to £479 on average per month to older state pensioners aged 80 or over in July 2026, following a 4.8% uplift in the Category D non-contributory pension. This pension, also known as the "over 80 pension," provides a weekly top-up of up to £110.75 in the 2026-2027 tax year for those receiving a basic State Pension of less than that amount or none at all.
Who Is Eligible for the Over 80 Pension?
The Category D pension is available to people aged 80 and over who either have no basic State Pension or receive less than £110.75 per week. According to the DWP, claimants can receive the difference between their current basic State Pension and the £110.75 threshold. For example, someone getting £45 a week basic State Pension could see a top-up of £66.75, bringing their total to £110.75 weekly.
Eligibility requires UK residency for at least 10 years out of a 20-year period, which must include the day before turning 80 or any day after. Alternatively, claimants must have been "ordinarily resident" in the UK, the Isle of Man, or Gibraltar on their 80th birthday or the date of claim. Unlike the basic and new State Pension, the over 80 pension is not based on National Insurance contributions.
How Much Can You Get?
The weekly rate of £110.75, boosted by 4.8% from £105.70 on April 6, 2026, translates to a maximum annual payment of £5,757. Averaged over 12 months, this amounts to £479.92 per month for those receiving the full amount. The pension is not a separate payment but a top-up to the existing basic State Pension, usually paid every four weeks.
People turning 80 in July 2026 who have no basic State Pension or one below £110.75 can submit a claim to the DWP and start benefiting immediately. The earliest a claim can be made is three months before the 80th birthday. However, those who reached State Pension age on or after April 6, 2016, are not eligible for the over 80 pension.
How to Claim
Claimants can request a form from their local Jobcentre Plus or call the Pension Service at 0800 731 7898. The over 80 pension counts as taxable income, which may affect other benefits. The DWP advises that the amount received depends on the individual's basic State Pension, with the top-up making up the difference to £110.75 weekly.
