Pension Credit tops up the weekly income of people over State Pension age to £238 for a single person and £363.25 for a couple in 2026/27. The guarantee is higher for people with a severe disability, £86.05 a week more, and for carers, £48.15 more, and it rises further for those responsible for a child. Savings below £10,000 are ignored entirely, and above that each £500 counts as £1 a week of income. Roughly a third of eligible pensioners do not claim, and a successful claim also unlocks the Winter Fuel Payment, help with rent and council tax and, from 75, a free television licence.
The rates
| 2026/27, per week | |
|---|---|
| Standard minimum guarantee, single | £238.00 |
| Standard minimum guarantee, couple | £363.25 |
| Severe disability addition, per qualifying person | £86.05 |
| Carer addition | £48.15 |
| Child addition, per child | £69.98, or £81.07 for a first child born before 6 April 2017 |
| Savings Credit maximum, single | £17.96 |
| Savings Credit maximum, couple | £20.10 |
Guarantee Credit makes up the difference between your counted weekly income and the minimum guarantee that applies to you. Savings Credit is a separate, smaller payment only available to people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and have some income above the basic State Pension level. The Pension Credit calculator works the guarantee for your income, savings and additions.
What the top-up comes to
| Household | Weekly income | Savings | Minimum guarantee | Guarantee Credit | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, full new State Pension only | £241.30 | under £10,000 | £238.00 | £0 | £0 |
| Single | £200.00 | under £10,000 | £238.00 | £38.00 | £1,976 |
| Couple, both on partial pensions | £300.00 | under £10,000 | £363.25 | £63.25 | £3,289 |
| Single | £180.00 | £14,000 | £238.00 | £50.00 | £2,600 |
| Single, full new State Pension, severe disability | £241.30 | under £10,000 | £324.05 | £82.75 | £4,303 |
| Single, full new State Pension, carer | £241.30 | under £10,000 | £286.15 | £44.85 | £2,332 |
| Couple | £350.00 | £20,000 | £363.25 | £0 | £0 |
The first row explains why many people assume they cannot qualify: the full new State Pension of £241.30 sits just above the single guarantee. Anyone with less than a full record, or a qualifying addition, can still be entitled, and the fifth row shows the effect of the severe disability addition for a pensioner who receives Attendance Allowance or the daily living component of PIP, lives alone and has no one paid Carer’s Allowance for looking after them. In the fourth row, £14,000 of savings adds £8 a week of assumed income, £1 for each £500 above £10,000. In the last row, £20,000 of savings adds £20 and takes the couple over the line.
What counts as income
State Pension, private and workplace pensions, earnings after a small disregard, most other benefits and the assumed income from savings all count. Attendance Allowance, PIP, Disability Living Allowance, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and Child Benefit do not. A couple’s incomes are added together, and since 2019 both partners must have reached State Pension age; a mixed-age couple claims Universal Credit instead until the younger partner reaches pension age. The State Pension forecast calculator estimates your own pension figure, and our State Pension guide covers the rates and qualifying years.
What Pension Credit unlocks
| Passported help | What it is worth |
|---|---|
| Winter Fuel Payment | £200 a household, or £300 where someone is 80 or over, paid automatically |
| Housing Benefit | Full eligible rent for tenants receiving Guarantee Credit |
| Council Tax Reduction | Up to 100% of the bill for Guarantee Credit recipients, under the local scheme |
| Free TV licence | From age 75, saving the annual licence fee |
| NHS costs | Free dental treatment, vouchers for glasses and help with travel to hospital |
| Cold Weather Payment | £25 for each seven-day period of freezing weather |
Because the passported help is often worth more than the credit itself, a claim producing even a few pounds a week is worth making. The Winter Fuel Payment checker and the Attendance Allowance checker cover two of the benefits most often missed alongside it.
Claiming
Claims can be made up to four months before reaching State Pension age and backdated three months, by phone to the Pension Service, online or by post, with details of income, savings and any pensions. Awards for people over 65 are usually indefinite with periodic checks, and changes in income or savings must be reported. Where a partner dies or someone moves into a care home the calculation changes, and a fresh check is worthwhile.
Common questions
How much is Pension Credit in 2026/27? It tops weekly income up to £238 for a single person and £363.25 for a couple, plus £86.05 for severe disability, £48.15 for a carer and £69.98 for each child.
Can I get Pension Credit on the full new State Pension? Not on the standard guarantee alone, as £241.30 exceeds £238. You can if you qualify for the severe disability or carer addition, or have housing costs or a child in the household.
Do savings stop me claiming? Not by themselves. The first £10,000 is ignored; each £500 above it counts as £1 a week of income. There is no upper savings limit.
What is Savings Credit? An extra payment of up to £17.96 a week single or £20.10 for a couple for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and have modest income above the basic pension.
Does Pension Credit give me the Winter Fuel Payment? Yes. Recipients get £200, or £300 if aged 80 or over, automatically each winter, along with a free TV licence from 75 and help with rent, council tax and NHS costs.
Can a couple claim if one partner is under pension age? No. Since May 2019 both partners must be over State Pension age; mixed-age couples claim Universal Credit until the younger partner qualifies.
Information, not financial advice. Rates are the published 2026/27 figures on gov.uk: Pension Credit; worked figures are estimates from the site’s calculator and ignore housing costs and earnings disregards. Check your own position with the Pension Service before acting on them.