Pension Credit claimants may risk having their payments stopped or reduced12:42, 19 Jun 2026Over 1.4 million elderly people across Great Britain are currently in receipt of Pension Credit, a gateway benefit that provides an average of £4,300 annually in additional financial assistance for those aged over 66 on a low income.‌The means-tested benefit can also unlock access to Council Tax reductions and assistance with energy bills, including the Warm Home Discount Scheme. However, many recipients may be unaware that they must contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if they intend to travel outside mainland Britain this year - regardless of the duration, reports the Daily Record.‌Guidance on GOV.UK confirms this applies to Pension Credit claimants "leaving England, Scotland and Wales for any period (for example, going on holiday)".‌It further states: "You need to report changes to you and your partner's personal and financial circumstances. Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away. Some changes will increase the amount of Pension Credit you could get."Changes to your personal circumstancesA change of personal circumstances can include:‌moving to a new addressstarting or stopping living with a partnerthe death of a partner who is named on your claimstarting or stopping workgoing into hospital or a care homepeople moving in or out of your housechanging your nameswitching your bank accountleaving Scotland, England or Wales for any period (for example, going on holiday)you start or stop looking after a child or young person under the age of 20changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizenIf you go into a care home for more than 4 weeks, you'll also need to report if:there’s a change to the way your care home fees are funded (for example, you start or stop getting funding from the NHS or local council)you were staying in the care home temporarily and you become a permanent residentyou move to another care homeyou go into hospital‌Changes to your financial circumstancesYou also need to report if your income or expenses change. This can include changes to:housing costs, for example ground rent or service chargesbenefits that anyone living in your home gets - including getting a new benefit or a benefit being stoppedoccupational or personal pensions - including if you start to get a new pension or take a lump sum out of your pension potother income, for example, foreign pensionssavings, investments or propertyThe DWP encourages anyone uncertain about whether they need to declare a change to ring the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234. However, the DWP also cautions: "You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances."‌The full guidance can be found on GOV.UK. Recent DWP statistics reveal more than 700,000 eligible people are not claiming Pension Credit, despite potentially being entitled to it.Some elderly people assume that having savings or owning their property would disqualify them from the means-tested benefit. However, an award of just £1 weekly is sufficient to unlock additional support.Below is a summary of the benefit, including who should verify eligibility, how to proceed, potential amounts and where to obtain assistance completing the form.‌Pension Credit in a nutshellWhen you apply for Pension Credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together.Pension Credit tops up:your weekly income to £238.00 if you’re singleyour joint weekly income to £363.25 if you have a partner‌If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for Pension Credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.What counts as income.Your income includes:‌State Pensionother pensionsearnings from employment and self-employmentmost social security benefits - for example, Carer’s AllowanceWhat does not count as incomeNot all benefits are counted as income. For example, the following are not counted:Attendance AllowanceDWP Christmas BonusChild BenefitDisability Living AllowancePension Age Disability PaymentPersonal Independence Paymentsocial fund payments like Winter Fuel AllowanceHousing BenefitCouncil Tax Reduction‌Your savingsIf you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments this will not affect your Pension Credit.If you have more than £10,000, every £500 over £10,000 counts as £1 income a week. For example, if you have £11,000 in savings, this counts as £2 income a week.How to check eligibility for Pension CreditOlder people, or their friends and family, can swiftly assess their eligibility and obtain an estimate of potential entitlements by using the online Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK here.‌Alternatively, pensioners can contact the Pension Credit helpline directly to make a claim on 0800 99 1234 - lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.Expert help and advice is also available from:Independent AgeIncome MaxCitizens AdviceAge UK‌Further details regarding Pension Credit claims can be found on GOV.UK here.Other help if you get Pension CreditIf you qualify for Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live inSupport for Mortgage Interest if you own the property you live inCouncil Tax discountFree TV licence if you are aged 75 or overHelp with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointmentsHelp with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount SchemeA discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you are moving house‌Mixed aged older couples and Pension CreditIn May 2019, the law changed so a ‘mixed age couple’ - a couple where one partner is of State Pension age and the other is under it - are considered to be a ‘working age’ couple when checking entitlement to means-tested benefits.This means they cannot claim Pension Credit or pension age Housing Benefit until they are both State Pension age. Before this DWP change, a mixed age couple could be eligible to claim the more generous State Pension age benefits when just one of them reached State Pension age.How to use the Pension Credit calculatorTo use the calculator on GOV.UK, you will need details of:‌earnings, benefits and pensionssavings and investmentsYou’ll need the same details for your partner if you have one. You will be presented by a series of questions with multiple choice answer options.This includes:‌Your date of birthYour residential statusWhere in the UK you liveWhether you are registered blindWhich benefits you currently receiveHow much you receive each week for any benefits you getWhether someone is paid Carer’s Allowance to look after youHow much you get each week from pensions - State Pension, private and work pensionsAny employment earningsAny savings, investments or bonds you haveOnce you have answered these questions, a summary screen shows your responses, allowing you to go back and change any answers before submitting. The Pension Credit calculator then displays how much benefit you could receive each week.All you have to do then is follow the link to the application page to find out exactly what you will get from the DWP, including access to other financial support.‌There’s also an option to print off the answers you give using the calculator tool to help you complete the application form quicker without having to look out the same details again. Try the Pension Credit Calculator for yourself or your family member to make sure you’re receiving all the financial support you are entitled to claim.Who cannot use the Pension Credit calculator?You cannot use the calculator if you or your partner:are deferring your State Pensionown more than one propertyare self employedhave housing costs (such as service charges or Crown Tenant rent) which are neither mortgage repayments nor rent covered by Housing Benefit‌How to make a claimYou can start your application up to four months before you reach State Pension age. You can claim any time after you reach State Pension age but your claim can only be backdated for three months.This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.You will need:‌your National Insurance numberinformation about your income, savings and investmentsyour bank account details, if you’re applying by phone or by postIf you’re backdating your claim, you’ll need details of your income, savings and investments on the date you want your claim to start.Apply onlineYou can use the online service if:Article continues belowyou have already claimed your State Pensionthere are no children or young people included in your claimTo check your entitlement, phone the Pension Credit helpline on 0800 99 1234 or use the GOV.UK Pension Credit calculator here to find out how much you could get.