The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reports that the State Pension now provides financial support for 13.2 million people across Great Britain, including more than 1.1 million living in Scotland. The regular payment is worth up to £241.30 per week for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £184.90 each week for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
The amount received depends on the number of National Insurance years accrued before reaching retirement age, with at least 10 years needed to qualify for any State Pension payment. The State Pension age has now started a phased rise from 66 to 67, and people born between March 6, 1961 and April 5, 1977 will be able to claim the State Pension once they reach 67. The change has been in legislation since 2014, with a further rise from 67 to 68 set to be implemented in the mid-2040s.
Benefits that stop at pension age
According to the charity Turn2us, when you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support, or Universal Credit. Turn2us advises: "If you live with a partner and one of you is pension age and the other is not yet pension age, benefit entitlement can be complicated."
At State Pension age, you also cannot claim Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) - the devolved disability benefit that has replaced all new and existing claims for PIP for people in Scotland - once you have reached State Pension age.
Renewals and unaffected benefits
However, if you were already receiving DLA, PIP, or ADP, 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 12 months before you reached State Pension age. Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance are also not available once you reach State Pension age.
Benefits you can claim even if you are over State Pension age include Child Benefit (delivered by HMRC), Carer’s Allowance, Guardian’s Allowance, and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). You can also claim Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Support for Mortgage Interest, Help with Health Costs, Winter Heating Payment (Scotland only), Cold Weather Payment (England and Wales only), Warm Home Discount Scheme, Winter Fuel Payment, and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (Scotland only, with the same qualifying rules as Winter Fuel Payment), but only if you meet the benefit-specific income threshold.
For full details on benefits when you reach State Pension age, visit the Turn2us website.
