State pensioner couples are set to receive an extra £66.60 a month from July after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) increased Pension Credit payments by 4.8 per cent.
Eligible couples will now receive up to £363.25 a week, up from £346.60 — an increase of £16.65 a week. Single claimants will also see higher payments, with the Guarantee Credit threshold rising to £238 a week.
The updated rates will begin arriving from July, providing additional support to pensioners on lower incomes.
Guarantee Credit tops up weekly income to a minimum level for those who meet the eligibility criteria, but Pension Credit is not awarded automatically and applicants must satisfy several conditions.
People generally cannot make a new claim if their partner has not yet reached state pension age, unless they reached pension age before 15 May 2019 and have been receiving Housing Benefit continuously since before that date.
Individuals can also apply in their own right if their partner’s immigration status prevents them from claiming.
Before applying, pensioners are encouraged to gather details of their weekly income, including private pensions, the state pension, most earnings from employment and benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance.
Couples must provide income information for both partners. Savings and investments above £10,000 can affect entitlement, with the DWP treating every £500 above that threshold as generating £1 a week in income.
State pension couples to receive extra £66.60 a month as Pension Credit rises in July
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For example, someone with £12,000 in savings would be treated as having an extra £4 a week.
Single pensioners with weekly income below £238 can receive Guarantee Credit to make up the difference, while couples are assessed against the higher £363.25 threshold.
Pension Credit acts as a safety net to ensure pensioners do not fall below minimum income levels.
Pensioners with severe disabilities may also qualify for an additional £86.05 a week, provided they receive certain disability benefits, including Attendance Allowance, the middle or highest‑rate care component of Disability Living Allowance or the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment.
Pension Credit is one of the retirement benefits administered by the DWP | PA
Recipients of Armed Forces Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment and Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance may also qualify.
People who provide care for another adult can receive an extra £48.15 a week.
This payment is available to those receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment, as well as people who have applied for Carer’s Allowance but do not receive it because another benefit is paid at a higher rate.