DWP benefits people can no longer claim after reaching State Pension age - full list

Linda Howard & Sonia Sharma

3 July 2024 at 8:18 am·3-min read

You will not be able to claim certain benefits when you reach State Pension age — -Credit: (Image: Getty Images)

People are being warned about the benefits they will no longer be able to claim after reaching State Pension age.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that State Pension is providing essential financial support for nearly 12.7 million people across Britain. This payment is worth up to £221.20 per week for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £169.50 each week for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).

How much someone receives from the contributory benefit depends on the number of National Insurance years they have accrued before reaching the current retirement age of 66 - you need at least 10 to qualify for any State Pension payment, reports the Daily Record. For older people approaching the official age of retirement, it’s important to know which benefits will continue, new ones you may qualify for and those you can no longer make a new claim for.

Your State Pension age is the same as your Pension Credit qualifying 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. For full details on each of the topics listed below, visit the Turn2us website here.

Pension Credit age

When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Income Support
Universal Credit

Turn2us advises: "If you live with a partner and one of you is pension age and the other is not yet pension age, benefit entitlement can be complicated." Use the Turn2us benefit calculator to see what benefits you’re entitled to, or get help from a benefits adviser.

State Pension age

When you reach State Pension age you can no longer claim:

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

You cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP) - the new devolved disability benefit has replaced all new claims for PIP for people in Scotland - once you have reached State Pension age.

However, if you were already receiving DLA, PIP or ADP 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 you received the award for and your last claim ended less than 12 months before you reached State Pension age.

The DWP has said DLA claimants who were born before April 8, 1948, will not be transferred to PIP, however, those born after that date will be. 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, but only if you meet the benefit-specific income threshold:

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 - now replaced by new Winter Heating Payment in Scotland
Warm Home Discount Scheme
Winter Fuel Payment

The Telegraph
Goodbye, Galloway. This was a triumph for Israel
British politics has hardly covered itself in glory in recent years. After the shame of the Corbyn years was punctured by the glorious Tory victory of 2019, we were subjected to a veritable gallery of disgrace: soaring immigration, Covid authoritarianism, Partygate, the Truss-Kwarteng interregnum, Gaza fanaticism. But the true nadir was the election of George Galloway in Rochdale.
OK! Magazine
Eamonn Holmes rips into Keir Starmer with hurtful five-word putdown after election victory
Eamonn Holmes made a savage dig at new prime minister Keir Starmer this morning as he announced the results of the General Election on GB News. The former This Morning star, 64, branded the Labour leader "deadly dull" as he fronted his Vo
Manchester Evening News
Labour's benefit reform plans for Universal Credit, PIPs and state pensions
The party has published what it plans to do in its manifesto, and it has a number of promises on the benefits system including Universal Credit and PIP
The Telegraph
Migrants vow to cross from France ‘as soon as possible’ after Labour victory
Migrants in northern France celebrating Labour’s landslide victory have given Sir Keir Starmer a nickname and have vowed to cross the Channel at the “first chance” they get.
The Telegraph
The world must prepare for President Michelle Obama
The 2024 US Presidential race intensifies. Speculation abounds over potential replacements for President Joe Biden amid increasing pressure from his party and the media to step aside after a jaw-dropping, catastrophic debate against Donald Trump last week. Among the names circulating, a game-changer is emerging: Michelle Obama. Could this be America’s worst nightmare?
The Telegraph
Arrogant Nicola Sturgeon is the author of the SNP’s humiliating downfall
As the defeated parties hold their inevitable election inquests, second only to the bloodletting in Tory circles will be that in the Scottish National Party. Reduced from a party whose proud boast was that it had never lost an election in almost two decades, its angry supporters are claiming that this defeat has all but killed off the cause closest to their hearts: independence for Scotland.
HuffPost
Trump Throws 4th Of July Fit In 'Disgraceful' New Holiday Tantrum
Critics called out the former president for a bonkers Independence Day message that barely mentioned the holiday.
The Telegraph
Wife wars? The real reason the Obamas are not standing up for Biden
When Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States in 2021, much was made of his wife Dr Jill Biden becoming the first First Lady ever to hold a salaried outside job.
Manchester Evening News
George Galloway is no show at election count as he's booted out after just 92 days as Rochdale MP
Mr Galloway pledged to 'make Rochdale great again' - but then lost the constituency just months after he won it
The Independent
Rishi Sunak falls victim to humiliating YouTube prank after losing election
Embarrassing moment followed crushing night for the ex-Tory leader
The Telegraph
Hunt tells his children ‘don’t be sad, this is the magic of democracy’
Jeremy Hunt has told his children “don’t be sad, this is the magic of democracy” after the Tories suffered a historic defeat at the general election.
Yahoo News UK
Who won the 2024 general election? Check the results by constituency
Use our interactive election results map to find out who won in your area.
The Telegraph
Britain is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. No one dares admit it
Rishi Sunak left the D-Day celebrations early, got caught in the rain and came under fire for some Treasury forecasts of tax rises. The Labour Party droned on about “change” while endlessly repeating some imaginary numbers about “investing” in the NHS and creating “green jobs”. Meanwhile, the Lib Dems sailed through the past six weeks with fun days out at CenterParcs.
Yahoo Finance UK
What a Labour government needs to do for pensions and work in the first 100 days
If the polls are right and Labour gets to form the next government, it will shake up pensions, work and personal finance.
Manchester Evening News
DWP pays State Pensioners top up worth £5,200 a year after certain age
The latest statistics from the DWP show that the State Pension currently provides a regular financial income for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country
The Telegraph
This is the most dangerous moment for Britain in 40 years
Well, Putin will be laughing. The Conservative Party – perhaps the most significant force for saving Ukraine in the early months of the war and beyond – is out of office.
The Telegraph
Zelensky U-turns as he invites Russia to attend peace summit without giving up land
Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Russia to the next peace summit despite previously saying it could only join if it relinquished land in Ukraine.
HuffPost UK
'Let's Get The Party Started': Carol Vorderman Pulls No Punches As Tories Suffer Crushing Election Defeat
"They are going down and out tonight and I am so here for it.”
The Telegraph
Tory leadership contenders split over Nigel Farage
The Conservative MPs expected to launch campaigns for the party leadership will be split on whether to welcome back Nigel Farage.
The Telegraph
Lesbian Albanian asylum seeker loses six-year fight to stay in UK
A lesbian Albanian asylum seeker can finally be deported after a six-year legal battle in which her “hopeless” appeal against removal went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Benefits affected by your pension age

Pension Credit age

State Pension age

Benefits not affected by your State Pension age

Latest stories