State pensioners with a severe disability can receive up to £344.20 additional every four weeks on top of their State Pension through a single claim. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides extra cash to low-income pensioners via Pension Credit to assist with living expenses, and those with severe disabilities can receive even more.
What is Pension Credit?
Pension Credit is available to pensioners in England, Scotland, and Wales. Following a 4.8% increase in April, the standard weekly rate is now £238 for single claimants. This benefit is paid separately from the State Pension, offering a top-up to regular payments. You can claim it even if you have other income, savings, or own your own home.
Additional Disability Payment
If you have a disability, the DWP will pay up to £86.05 extra per week on top of the standard £238 weekly rate. Since Pension Credit is paid every four weeks, eligible pensioners can receive up to £344.20 extra in each payment period. Over a full year, this amounts to £4,474.60 in additional payments from the DWP, on top of Pension Credit.
The severe disability payment is available to single pensioners or couples where one person qualifies. The DWP says pensioners can get the extra payment if they receive any of the following benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- The middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- The daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- The daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- The middle or highest rate of the care component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance
Other Benefits from Pension Credit
Claiming Pension Credit also unlocks access to a range of other financial support, including:
- Housing Benefit
- Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £300
- Council Tax discount
- Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
- £150 off winter energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
- Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses, and transport costs
Government Statement
Confirming the State Pension and Pension Credit increases from April, the DWP said: “The government has already delivered above-inflation increases worth up to £395 in real terms over this Parliament. By its end, pensioners’ annual incomes are expected to rise by up to £2,100 – boosting financial security for millions.
“Pension Credit will also rise by 4.8% and be worth an average of £4,300 a year, unlocking further support including help with housing costs, council tax and free television licenses. Between 2026 and 2027, the government will provide a £6 billion boost to spending on State Pensions and pensioner benefits.”
Claiming Pension Credit
According to the latest government statistics, only 62% of entitled pensioners currently claim Pension Credit, leaving an estimated £2.5 billion unclaimed annually – around £2,600 per year for each eligible claimant. Given the additional entitlements it unlocks, it is worth checking eligibility.
You can apply for Pension Credit up to four months before reaching State Pension age or any time after. Applications can be backdated by up to three months, meaning you could receive up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.
As part of a DWP campaign to boost Pension Credit take-up, Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: “I’d urge anyone who thinks they, or anyone they know, might be able to claim Pension Credit, to take a few minutes out of their day to check and apply. This country’s pensioners deserve every penny they are entitled to.”
