State pensioners with additional care responsibilities can get a weekly top-up payment of £48.15 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with a single claim. The payment is available as an extra Pension Credit amount for people of State Pension age in England, Scotland and Wales who are on a low income and care for another adult.
How the extra amount works
In the 2026 to 2027 tax year, Pension Credit can top up your weekly income to £238 if you're single or your joint weekly income to £363.25 if you have a partner, but in some cases the payment can be topped up with additional amounts. For those who get Carer's Allowance Support (or Carer Support Payment in Scotland), or have claimed Carer’s Allowance but aren’t being paid because you already get another benefit at a higher amount, you could get an extra £48.15 per week from the DWP in the current tax year, thanks to a 3.8% uplift in April.
As the benefit is paid by the DWP every four weeks, you could get an extra £192.60 in each four-week payment period on top of your regular Pension Credit amount. So if you were entitled to the maximum Pension Credit payment of £238 per week, this would give you £1,144.60 in total every four weeks from the DWP.
Claiming and eligibility
Pension Credit, plus the additional weekly amount, is paid separately to the State Pension, so it effectively acts as a boost to your regular payments, and it can be claimed even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.
Confirming the Pension Credit extra amount for carers in guidance for advisers published in May 2026, the DWP said: “Your customer may be able to get this extra amount of £48.15 a week if:
- they (or their partner if they have one) are getting Carer’s Allowance, or in Scotland, Carer Support Payment
- they (or their partner if they have one) has claimed Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment and would be getting it if they did not already have another contributory benefit paying a higher amount (we call this ‘underlying entitlement’)
“If each partner satisfies either one of these conditions, the extra amount is doubled.
“When Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment stops or underlying entitlement ceases, the Pension Credit extra amount for carers is paid for a further eight weeks. (If however Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment has already continued for eight weeks after the person being cared for has died, the extra amount for carers will stop immediately).
"For customers in receipt of Carer Support Payment, this period is extended to 12 weeks following the death of a cared-for person.”
Wider benefits and take-up
Pension Credit is worth £4,300 per year on average but the benefit also unlocks access to a wealth of other freebies and financial support, including a council tax discount, help with housing and NHS treatment costs, and free TV licences for those over 75, making it a valuable source of income for older people.
According to the latest government statistics, only 62% of entitled pensioners are currently claiming Pension Credit, so take-up for the benefit remains relatively low across the UK. This leaves up to an estimated £2.5 billion unclaimed funds annually, which amounts to around £2,600 per year for each claimant entitled to receive it who didn’t claim it.
DWP statistics show there was a 34% decrease in Pension Credit applications in the 2025/26 financial year compared to the year before, suggesting many pensioners are still missing out on support they are entitled to, so it's well worth checking your eligibility.
Commenting on the perks of claiming Pension Credit, Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London, said: “Pension Credit is a valuable benefit because it is a ‘gateway’ benefit. That means, if you’re able to claim it, you may also be able to get help with housing costs (through Council Tax discount and Housing Benefit or Support for Mortgage Interest).
“You’re also eligible for a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over and you may be able to get help with NHS dental treatment, prescriptions and transport costs.
“If you’re entitled to these benefits, the state help you get could be very valuable and that could make a real difference to your finances. However, hundreds of thousands of people are missing out on Pension Credit. Our research showed that two in five people over State Pension age hadn't checked to see if they were entitled to Pension Credit.”
