DWP benefits unavailable once you reach State Pension age

People approaching retirement age are being warned of benefits they will soon be unable to claim. Income support and several other well-known benefits are no longer offered once you reach the state pension age.

It comes as it emerged the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed that the State Pension is currently providing vital financial support to 12.7 million people across Great Britain. The weekly payment is up to £221.20 for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £169.50 for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).

The amount received from this contributory benefit depends on the number of National Insurance years accrued before reaching the current retirement age of 66 - a minimum of 10 years is required to qualify for any State Pension payment. As older individuals approach the official retirement age in the coming months, it's crucial to understand which benefits will continue, which new ones may now be eligible for, and which can no longer be claimed.

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

Benefits affected by your pension 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 provides crucial advice for couples juggling benefits when one partner reaches State Pension age, warning: "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."

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)

Once you reach the pivotal moment of reaching State Pension age, you cannot make fresh claims for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP). But if you’re already receiving these benefits before hitting pension age, you're allowed to renew your claim post-pension age for existing health conditions provided your previous award ended less than a year before.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that DLA claimants born before April 8, 1948, will remain with DLA and won’t have to migrate to PIP, whereas those born after this date will be transitioned to the new system.

However, Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent's Allowance bid farewell at State Pension age too.

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)

• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

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

• Guardian’s Allowance

You can also claim these benefits even if you are over State Pension age, but only if you meet the benefit-specific income threshold:

Warm Home Discount Scheme Help with Health Costs 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 Winter Fuel Payment - only those over State Pension age in receipt of Pension Credit or other qualifying income-related benefits will receive the money from this year - find out more here Housing Benefit Support for Mortgage Interest Council Tax Support Cold Weather Payment Pension Credit 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