Pensioners over 80 with little or no Basic State Pension income could be eligible for an extra £105.70 weekly through the Over 80 Pension scheme

Recent figures from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) reveal that the State Pension currently delivers a steady income to 13 million elderly individuals nationwide, with over one million of those pensioners residing in Scotland.

This benefit is accessible to those who have reached the UK Government’s qualifying retirement age – presently set at 66 for both men and women – and have accumulated a minimum of 10 years of National Insurance (NI) contributions. Yet, individuals aged over 80 who either receive no Basic State Pension or whose weekly income falls below £105.70 may be entitled to additional support to assist with everyday living costs.

The ‘Over 80 Pension’ currently awards older individuals £105.70 per week if they’re not receiving any Basic State Pension, or tops up their income to reach that threshold.

Those aged over 80 on a low income might also qualify for Pension Credit, which could deliver more than £4,300 in additional financial assistance annually, reports the Daily Record.

Claiming the ‘Over 80 Pension’

It’s crucial to understand that you cannot access the ‘Over 80 Pension’ if you reached State Pension age on or after April 6, 2016 – if this applies to you, you fall under the New State Pension scheme instead.

The guidance on GOV.UK confirms you can claim the over 80 pension if all of the following criteria are met:

• You are 80 or over
• You do not get Basic State Pension or your Basic State Pension is less than £105.70 a week
• You were resident in the UK for at least 10 years out of 20 (this does not have to be 10 years in a row) – this 20 year period must include the day before you turned 80 or any day after
• You were ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar on your 80th birthday or the date you made the claim for this pension, if later

Eligibility for the over-80 pension isn’t dependent on your National Insurance record.

How to claim

You can obtain a claim form through either:

Applications can be submitted up to three months ahead of your 80th birthday. To receive a claim form by post from the Pension Service, ring 0800 731 7898.

Complete guidance is available on GOV.UK here.

Pension Credit

Close to 1.4 million elderly individuals throughout Great Britain, including more than 125,000 Scottish residents, are presently receiving this means-tested support which could deliver an average of £4,300 in assistance over the coming year.

Yet DWP statistics indicate that upwards of 700,000 qualifying pensioners are still missing out on their rightful entitlement.

Some elderly people mistakenly believe that having savings or owning property would disqualify them from this means-tested support, which can additionally unlock assistance with accommodation expenses, winter warmth payments and Council Tax reductions.

Even an award of merely £1 weekly is sufficient to access additional benefits.

Pension Credit supplements weekly income to a guaranteed baseline of £227.10 for individual pensioners or £346.60 for partnerships. This tax-free payment is available to those who:

• Have reached Pension Credit qualifying age, which is State Pension age, and
• Live in Great Britain

Fastest method to verify Pension Credit eligibility

Elderly citizens, or their relatives and friends, can swiftly confirm their qualification and obtain a projection of potential payments using the digital Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here. Pensioners can ring the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 to lodge a claim – the service operates from 8am to 6pm, Monday through Friday.

Professional guidance and support is accessible through:

Pension Credit provides additional financial support for those beyond State Pension age living on modest incomes. The benefit unlocks access to various other forms of assistance as well.

It boosts weekly income to at least £227.10 for individuals and £346.60 for couples – with higher amounts available for those with disabilities or caring duties.

Additional support available with Pension Credit

Qualifying for Pension Credit opens the door to further assistance, including:

• Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
• Support for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live in
• Council Tax discount
• Free TV licence if you are aged 75 or over
• Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments
• Help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
• A discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house

Mixed age couples and Pension Credit eligibility

A legislative shift in May 2019 redefined ‘mixed age couples’ – where one partner has reached State Pension age whilst the other hasn’t – as ‘working age’ households for means-tested benefit purposes.

Consequently, such couples must wait until both reach State Pension age before accessing Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit. Previously, these couples could claim the more favourable State Pension age benefits once either partner hit the qualifying age.

Using the Pension Credit calculator

When using the GOV.UK calculator, you’ll need information about:

• Earnings, benefits and pensions
• Savings and investments

You’ll require identical information for your partner, should you have one. The system will guide you through a sequence of questions featuring multiple-choice responses.

These include:

• Your date of birth
• Your residential status
• Where in the UK you live
• Whether you are registered blind
• Which benefits you currently receive
• How much you receive each week for any benefits you get
• Whether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after you
• How much you get each week from pensions – State Pension, private and work pensions
• Any employment earnings
• Any savings, investments or bonds you have

After completing these queries, a summary page displays your answers, giving you the chance to revisit and amend any responses prior to submission. The Pension Credit Calculator will then reveal your potential weekly entitlement.

Simply follow the link through to the application portal to discover precisely what the DWP will provide, including eligibility for additional financial assistance.

There’s also a facility to print your calculator responses, streamlining the application process by eliminating the need to hunt down the same information twice. Test the Pension Credit Calculator for yourself or a relative to ensure you’re accessing every penny of support available to you.

Who is ineligible to use the Pension Credit calculator?

The calculator cannot be used if either you or your partner:

• Are deferring your State Pension
• Own more than one property
• Are self employed
• Have housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit

How to submit a claim

Applications can begin up to four months ahead of reaching State Pension age. Whilst claims are accepted at any point after hitting State Pension age, backdating is capped at three months maximum.

To receive up to three months of Pension Credit in your initial payment, you must have been eligible during that period.

You’ll require:

• Your National Insurance number
• Information about your income, savings and investments
• Your bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by post

If backdating your claim, you’ll need to provide information about your income, savings and investments from the date you wish your claim to commence.

Apply online

The online service is available if:

• You have already claimed your State Pension
• There are no children or young people included in your claim

To verify your entitlement, ring the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or utilise the GOV.UK Pension Credit Calculator here to determine how much you could be entitled to.