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For the person you care for

Pension Credit

Extra weekly income for older adults on a low income — unlocks a cluster of other support including Council Tax Reduction and free NHS dental care.

Official linksLast verified 24 April 2026

Who it helps

People over State Pension age on a low weekly income.

The full picture

Pension Credit tops up the weekly income of older adults below a guaranteed minimum. Even £1 a week of Pension Credit can open the door to Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, free NHS dental treatment, the Winter Fuel Payment, and Cold Weather Payments. Roughly 760,000 eligible pensioner households miss out, often because they assume they won't qualify. Because Pension Credit depends on household income and savings — figures we deliberately don't collect inside ATFY — we link you straight to the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator instead of checking eligibility here.

Worth knowing before you apply

  • Depends on household income and savings — figures we don't hold
  • Even small awards unlock much larger support like Council Tax Reduction and Winter Fuel Payment
  • Having savings doesn't automatically rule you out — there's no upper capital cut-off

How to claim

Use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator, then apply online or by phone. Decisions take 6–8 weeks. Backdating is possible up to 3 months.

Last verified 24 April 2026
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