Full state pension can I claim pension credit if I am on pip ?

zoob
zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor
in Benefits and income

I will receive a full state pension soon …i am in the middle of migration from esa support group with SDP to UC …presently I receive both elements of Pip daily care & mobility .i am on my own ..no one receives carers allowance for me…if I retain my pip award am I able to claim pension credit even with the full government state pension? I am receiving contradictory advice ..thank you for your comments in advance .( apologies if this has previously been discussed I have difficulty navigating sites .because of treatment for my conditions .)

Comments

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Community Member Posts: 9,066 Championing

    Try the calculator:

    As you get PIP your income threshold cut off point will be higher than someone without PIP.

    So if you have no additional pensions, then yes you are likely to be awarded Pension Credit.

    https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator

  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor

    thank you for your reply I am extremely grateful .

  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor
  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor

    So very sorry I know this is out of the remit …but I don’t know if I made my self totally clear I will be on the full state pension £230.25 will I still be eligible? Thank you so much for your help again .

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community Member Posts: 17,415 Championing

    Hi @zoob - I've found AgeUK's info about Pension Credit helpful. If you will get the full State Pension this doesn't mean you wouldn't necessarily not be eligible, &, as Kimi has said, being in receipt of PIP (daily living component) also helps.

    Everyone's financial circumstances are different, but please try this to get a likely forecast about Pension Credit: https://benefitscheck.ageuk.org.uk/Home/Start/

    You can also ring AgeUK who can advise over the phone: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/benefits-calculator/

  • Trevor_PIP
    Trevor_PIP Community Member Posts: 1,222 Championing
    edited December 2025

    @onmylonesome If you have a current PIP award at State Pension age, your award is automatically switched to an "indefinite" award (10 years).

  • Trevor_PIP
    Trevor_PIP Community Member Posts: 1,222 Championing
    edited December 2025

    @onmylonesome A grey area, I have never seen any definite information. Some information states you are assessed before your current award end date and other information states your current award is automatically extended. Your current award is well into your State Pension so should be "light touch" anyway. A friend who was on PIP at State Pension age was not contacted by the DWP and still hasn't been contacted. With it just weeks to go to getting your State pension, it looks like you are not going to be contacted but obviously I don't know for definite.

  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1090087#Comment_1090087
  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor
    edited December 2025

    good luck @ onmylonesome I hope you are left alone and get your pension credit ! Could you come back and post on here to let us all know if you do actually receive your pension credit? 🙏👍😀

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community Member Posts: 3,726 Championing

    What about Savings - Doesn't having savings affects Pension Credit ?

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community Member Posts: 6,405 Championing
    edited January 3
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1093331#Comment_1093331

    Yes, but not considerably for most claimants. The savings threshold for PC is £10,000. Above that it gets reduced by £1 for every £500 of savings. There is no upper limit cut-off.

  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor

    Hello update I did receive the pension credit award

    my pension credit is only a couple of pounds less than someone who qualifies on the lower pension rate

    1- My situation is i will receive the full state pension

    2- I have a care element of pip

    3- I have no other pensions or savings or own properties

    4- No one receives a carer allowance for me .

    5- I live alone .these are only my personal circumstances … enough to qualify for PC …I hope it may be of some help to someone.

  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor

    PS additionally..I would be allowed up to £10.000 savings and I would still qualify !

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 9,442 Online Community Team

    Thanks for the update @zoob, that's going to be really helpful to members looking to get an idea of how it all works. Did you have any trouble with it or did it all go through quite smoothly?

  • zoob
    zoob Community Member Posts: 16 Contributor

    Thanks for the question Rosie . Yes it went incredibly smoothly!
    Firstly can I say I waited for a good hour in a day after a good nights sleep with manageable pain level and when medication side effects were not as normally prominent (not a common luxury for me !) The alternative was getting help to apply as usually i would feel overwhelmed making a telephone conversation .

    I had a note book prepared weeks before & the pen clipped to it with the details they would request & any information I may want to jot down to help me as a future remember.

    1- national insurance number 2- my address & post code 3- telephone number 4- date of birth etc as I get confused on pain killers so it helped to have it written down & to be able to refer it.

    NB if you are divorced they ask for approximate date not day ..year( toughly )

    The pension advisor was absolutely fantastic she let me take my time ..I got details wrong she was extremely patient and kind the DWP at its absolute best !

    She saw on her DWP screen that I would possibly be entitled to Pension credit .So after we had gone through applying for state pension she asked me if I wanted to carry on & apply for pension credit on the phone there & then ! Which I did again all very easy to answer

    I got confirmation of my entitlement to state pension within a week she advised me it takes a lot longer for pension credit to come through .
    about 7 weeks later I got the confirmation letter that I was to receive pension credit .

    I felt I had completed a degree course such was my pride when I was able to tell my children I have applied for state pension & pension credit on my own ..without a doubt I felt proud of myself ( those who know will know )

    I hope this may help others .

  • Bluebell21
    Bluebell21 Community Member Posts: 6,029 Championing

    Hi @zoob that is great news. Well done.

    Thank you for sharing your experience I am sure it will help others.

    Take care.

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