Six DWP benefits you are not eligible for on reaching State Pension age
State Pension age matches your qualifying age for Pension Credit, unless you are a man born before December 6, 1953
Data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveals that the State Pension provides crucial financial support to 13 million individuals in Great Britain. This frequent payment is presently worth up to £230.25 per week for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £176.45 each week for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
The portion of State Pension an individual receives from this contributory benefit is based on the number of National Insurance years they have accumulated before reaching the retirement age of 66. To qualify for any State Pension payment, a minimum of 10 years of National Insurance contributions is required.
For people approaching the official retirement age this year, it is important to understand which benefits will continue and which new benefits you may now be eligible for. Just as importantly, you need to know which benefits you can no longer claim, the Record reports.
Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit qualifying age unless you are a man born before December 6, 1953. You can confirm your State Pension age and whether you can start claiming Pension Credit on the 'Check your State Pension age' page of the GOV.UK website here.
What benefits are affected by pension age?
Turn2us has created a crucial guide to the support you can and cannot claim from the Government on reaching Pension Credit or State Pension age. For further insight on the topics listed below, visit the Turn2us website here.
Pension Credit age
Usually, when you reach this age, you can no longer claim:
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income Support
Universal Credit
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Turn2us clarifies: "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." People are encouraged to use the Turn2us benefit calculator to determine which benefits they are eligible for or consult a benefits adviser for further assistance.
State Pension age
When you reach State Pension age, you can no longer claim:
Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
You also can't start claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) if you haven't already done so. But if you were getting DLA, PIP, or ADP before reaching State Pension age, you can keep renewing as long as it's for the same health issues and your last claim was less than a year before you hit that age.
In Scotland, people on DLA or PIP will be moved over to Social Security Scotland this Spring. Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent's Allowance aren't available after reaching State Pension age either.
What benefits are not affected by State Pension age?
You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age:
Child Benefit (delivered by HMRC)
Carer's Allowance - you may not be eligible for the whole financial element depending on your income from State Pension
Guardian's Allowance
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
You can also claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age, but only if you meet the benefit-specific income threshold:
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Pension Age Winter Heating Payment - Scotland only, same qualifying rules as Winter Fuel Payment
Support for Mortgage Interest
Winter Fuel Payment - only those over State Pension age in receipt of Pension Credit or other qualifying income-related benefits will receive the money from this year
Cold Weather Payment - England and Wales only
Pension Credit
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Support
Winter Heating Payment - Scotland-only
Help with Health Costs
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