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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Linda Howard & John Gillespie & John Gillespie

Changes to DWP pension age means older people can't claim some benefits when they reach state pension age

Pensions are an essential part of getting old in the UK. Providing financial support every four weeks for almost 12.4 million people across Britain and more than 981,000 across Scotland.

The regular payment of either £185.15 a week or £141.85 for the Full, new State Pension or Basic old State Pension respectively is available to those who have reached the Government’s eligible retirement age of 66.

However, according to The Daily Record, this age is set to be raised under new legislation, currently under review. The rise will be to 67 for those born on or after April 1960 and a further rise to 68 for those born on or after April 1977.

READ MORE: Everyone urged to check for 'hidden' savings account after man finds £300

For anyone approaching the official age of retirement, it is worth being aware that your age may affect which benefits you can claim in later life because when you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age you can start claiming some benefits while others will stop.

Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit age unless you are a man born before December 6, 1953.

You can check your State Pension age and whether you can start claiming Pension Credit on the 'Check your State Pension age' page of the GOV.UK website here.

Benefits affected by your pension age

Turn2Us has created an essential guide to the benefits you cannot claim from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when you reach State Pension age or Pension Credit age.

Pension Credit age

When you, or your partner, reach Pension Credit age, you can no longer claim:

  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

  • Income Support

  • Universal Credit

State Pension age

When you, or your partner, reach State Pension age, you can no longer claim:

  • Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

  • Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

You can’t make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) once you have reached State Pension age, however, if you were already receiving DLA or PIP, you can renew the claim even though you are over State Pension age.

This can only be done as long as you are claiming for the same health conditions and your last claim ended less than one year ago, before you reached State Pension age.

The DWP has said that DLA claimants who were born before April 8, 1948 will not be transferred to PIP, however, those born after that date will be.

People living in Scotland currently receiving DLA or PIP will be transferred to the new devolved Social Security Scotland system from August 29 this year - the migration for those on DLA is expected to take up to 18 months to complete for all claimants.

Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance are also not available once you reach State Pension age.

Benefits not affected by your State Pension age

You can claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age:

  • Child Benefit (delivered by HMRC)

  • Carer’s Allowance - you may not be eligible for the full financial element depending on your income from State Pension

  • Guardian’s Allowance

  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

You can also claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age as long as your income is low enough:

  • Pension Credit

  • Housing Benefit

  • Council Tax Support

  • Support for Mortgage Interest

  • Working Tax Credit (HMRC) - you can't make new claims for this, but if you're already getting it you can carry on receiving it

  • Child Tax Credit (HMRC)- you can't make new claims for this, but if you're already getting it you can carry on receiving it

  • Help with Health Costs

  • Cold Weather Payment

  • Warm Home Discount Scheme

  • Winter Fuel Payment

For more details about benefits when you reach State Pension age, visit the Turn2Us website here.

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