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All the benefits that could stop on your next birthday including Universal Credit
IF you are claiming benefits you should be aware that once you reach a certain age, they could stop.
Once you reach 66, the age of retirement in the UK, you can no longer claim Universal Credit and begin claiming the state pension instead.
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It is currently worth £230.25 a week, but how much you get depends on your circumstances.
But it means you will lose out on other benefits you might have been claiming such as Universal Credit.
And you can top up your state pension if you are on a lower income, with benefits specially available for those of retirement age.
Meanwhile, some state benefits are available regardless of age, such as Attendance Allowance.
It is also worth noting that the state pension is different to a pension you may have through work, which you can access when you are 55.
This will rise to 57 come 2028, and the age you can claim the state pension will rise to 67 in the same year.
Below we explain what benefits which stop at state pension age, what you can continue claiming and new help available.
What benefits stop at state pension age?
There are a number of benefits that stop when either you or your partner reach the state pension age.
This includes legacy benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support.
You also can not claim Universal Credit when you reach state pension age.
Cash for Care
So if you're in a couple and are different ages, then it's when the youngest person reaches state pension age that joint Universal Credit claims will stop.
Two benefits stop when you reach state pension age, and regardless of your partner's age. These are:
Contribution-based JSA
Contributory ESA
Two further benefits available to the bereaved also stop:
Bereavement Support Payment
Widowed Parent's Allowance
You can still claim PIP and Disability Living Allowance if you were already receiving the benefit before you reached state pension age.
You can not make a new claim if you have not claimed the benefit before.
Which benefits continue after state pension age?
There are several other benefits that you can continue to get after reaching the state pension age, if eligible (for instance, your income is low).
They include:
Child Benefit
Carer's Allowance
Guardian's Allowance
Statutory Sick Pay
Housing Benefit
Council Tax support
Support for mortgage interest
Working tax credits (if you already get it, but not for new claims)
Child tax credits (if you already get it, but not for new claims)
Help with health costs
Cold Weather payments
Warm Home Discount Scheme
What benefits can I start claiming after state pension age?
Once you reach state pension age you could be eligible for a number of other benefits including Pension Credit.
This is a benefit which tops up your state pension if you are over the state pension and on a low income.
It can top up your weekly income up to £218.15 if you're single or joint income to £332.95.
The exact value will depend on your income but DWP says the average reward is worth more than £3,900 a year.
It's not difficult to apply for Pension Credit, you can do it up to four months before you reach state pension age through the government website or by calling 0800 99 1234.
Applying for Pension Credit can also give you access to a number of other benefits including a free TV licence, which can save you £174.50 per year.
Claiming the state pension can also give you access to the Winter Fuel Payment, worth £300 a year.
The payment was axed for millions of pensioners last winter and only those on certain benefits qualified.
But this winter it will be paid to individuals with a taxable income over £35,000 following public outcry.
How to check how much state pension you can get
You can use the Government's tool on its website to find out how many years of National Insurance contributions (NICs) you have and how much state pension you're likely to get.
You need at least 10 years of qualifying National Insurance contributions to get any state pension payments at all, although this doesn't have to be from 10 years work in a row.
The maximum new state pension is only paid to those with 35 years NICs.
There may be gaps if you were unemployed, lived abroad or took time off to care for children or relatives, which means you could get a lower amount.
It is possible to make voluntary National Insurance contributions to top up your record, usually from the previous six years.
You don't get the state pension automatically and you'll have to start making a claim for it when you turn the right age - here's how.
You can also decide to defer claiming and could get more if you do decide to take it later.
