- Savings & benefits
- Update
Pension Credit increase April 2027: new rates and who qualifies
Pension Credit's minimum income guarantee will rise to £247.30 for singles and £377.40 for couples in April 2027. Check current rules and how to claim.
At a glance
Pension Credit's standard minimum guarantee will rise to £247.30 a week for a single person and £377.40 a week for a couple from April 2027. The government announced the amounts on 28 October 2026. They are income levels used to work out support, not flat payments added to everyone's pension. [1]
You do not need to wait for April to check whether you qualify. Pension Credit is separate from the State Pension, and having savings or owning your home does not by itself rule you out. [2]
This article covers England, Scotland and Wales. For Northern Ireland, see nidirect's Pension Credit guide ↗. [10]
Key figures
- £247.30Standard minimum guarantee, single person, from April 2027. An income level, not a payment everyone gets2027/28, per week · Announced / subject to legislation · Source [1]
- £377.40Standard minimum guarantee, couple, from April 2027. For the couple together, not each2027/28, per week, both partners together · Announced / subject to legislation · Source [1]
- £10,000Savings that do not affect Pension Credit. Above this, £1 a week of assumed income for each £500 or part of £500Current rules · Current law · Source [5], [4]
Pension Credit rates: 2026/27 and April 2027
| Who | Now, 2026/27 | Announced from April 2027 | Weekly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single person | £238.00 | £247.30 | £9.30 |
| Couple, together | £363.25 | £377.40 | £14.15 |
The announced increase is 3.9%, in line with average weekly earnings. The couple's figure is for both partners together. [1] [3]
The statement says most of the new rates come into effect from 12 April 2027, and that a full list of proposed rates will follow. We had not found that list when we checked this article, so we do not give our own estimates of the other 2027/28 Pension Credit amounts as if they were official. [1]
How much Pension Credit would you actually get?
Guarantee Credit compares your assessed income with the amount that applies to you. Extra amounts can raise that level. [4]
Two simplified examples at current 2026/27 rates:
| Situation | Assessed weekly income | Standard guarantee | Weekly top-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible single person | £200.00 | £238.00 | £38.00 |
| Eligible couple | £300.00 | £363.25 | £63.25 |
These assume no extra amounts, no assumed income from savings and no other adjustments. They show the subtraction, not what any one person is entitled to. [3] [4]
The £9.30 or £14.15 rise in the guarantee does not mean every award goes up by that much. If your State Pension or other assessed income also rises, your top-up changes with it. [4]
Who can claim?
You normally need to live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age. A couple claims together, and both partners' income is assessed. [5]
Both partners normally need to have reached State Pension age. The exception is a couple where one of you gets Housing Benefit for people over State Pension age; check the official rules ↗ if you are a mixed-age couple. [5]
Do not assume an age of 66: the date you qualify depends on your date of birth. Use GOV.UK's State Pension age checker ↗, which also gives your Pension Credit qualifying age. [6]
Residence and immigration conditions also apply, so reaching pension age alone does not settle it. [4]
Which income counts?
The State Pension, other pensions, earnings and most other benefits count. Some payments do not, including Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment. [5]
Putting off a pension does not necessarily lower your assessed income: a pension you could be getting, including a deferred State Pension, can still count. Check the official income rules ↗ rather than adding up what reaches your bank account. [5]
Can you qualify with savings or your own home?
Under current rules, savings and investments of £10,000 or less do not affect Pension Credit. Above that, each £500, or part of £500, counts as £1 a week of assumed income. [5] [4]
£11,200 is £1,200 over the limit: two full £500 steps and part of a third. That adds £3.00 a week to your assessed income. This is an assessment rule, not the interest your bank pays.
Owning your home does not stop you claiming. The home you live in is normally ignored, though other property and some parts of a property can count. [2] [4]
What if your income is above the standard guarantee?
It can still be worth checking. Extra amounts can apply for a severe disability, caring, children or some housing costs, each with its own conditions. [7]
Getting a disability benefit does not by itself qualify you for the severe disability addition. Your living arrangements and whether someone receives Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment or the Universal Credit carer element for looking after you also matter. [4]
Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit are different
Savings Credit is a separate part, generally for people who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016 and saved for retirement, for example in a pension. Couples have special rules. It is not a payment for everyone with a savings account. [7] [4]
For 2026/27 the maximum is £17.96 a week for a single person or £20.10 for a couple, and it can be paid without Guarantee Credit. [7]
The government has announced a 3.5% increase in the Savings Credit maximum for 2027/28. We will add the amounts once DWP publishes its full table. [1]
Other help Pension Credit can unlock
An award can open the way to other support, each with its own conditions: [2]
- Housing Benefit if you rent, and Council Tax Reduction.
- Support for Mortgage Interest: a repayable loan towards eligible mortgage interest, subject to conditions. You repay it with interest, usually when you sell or transfer your home. [11]
- A free TV licence if you are 75 or over.
- Help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and travel costs if you get Guarantee Credit.
- Cold Weather Payments (Winter Heating Payment in Scotland), and help through the Warm Home Discount.
Winter Fuel Payment is a separate scheme: see our Winter Fuel Payment 2026/27 guide for who qualifies and when it is paid.
How to check and apply
GOV.UK's old Pension Credit calculator is no longer available. GOV.UK now points to its guide, or to the application service, where you can check whether you might qualify before applying. [8]
You can apply online if you have already applied for your State Pension. Otherwise call 0800 99 1234, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, or ask for a paper form. These are the routes in Great Britain. [9]
Have your National Insurance number, your bank details, and details of your and your partner's income, savings and investments ready. [9]
Can a claim be backdated?
You can ask for up to 3 months of backdating, as long as you qualified throughout. You can also start a claim up to 4 months before you reach State Pension age. [9]
If you might qualify now, waiting until April could lose you support for months that fall outside the backdating window.
What this means for you
- Check whether you might qualify now, not in April: backdating covers only 3 months.
- Count your assessed income and savings the way GOV.UK does, not by what reaches your bank account.
- Remember the April 2027 figures are income levels: your own award depends on your income.
General information, not an individual benefits assessment. Your entitlement depends on your circumstances and DWP's decision.
Check the official rules for your own case.
How to apply for Pension Credit ↗Check the eligibility rules ↗
Sources and method
Checked 8 November 2026. The 2027/28 amounts are from the Secretary of State's written statement of 28 October 2026 (HCWS427; the same statement was made in the Lords as HLWS436). They are announced rates that take effect mainly from 12 April 2027.
Current 2026/27 rates are from DWP's Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (updated 16 February 2026) and GOV.UK's Pension Credit pages. The savings rule is from GOV.UK's eligibility page and DWP's detailed guide for advisers (updated 8 May 2026).
DWP's full list of proposed 2027/28 rates had not been published on 8 November 2026, so no other 2027/28 Pension Credit amounts, such as Savings Credit or the extra amounts, are calculated here.
The weekly increases are the announced amount minus the current one. The top-up examples are the standard guarantee minus an assumed assessed income, with no extra amounts, no assumed income from savings and no other adjustments. The savings example rounds the excess over £10,000 up to whole £500 steps. None is an entitlement decision.
No PayCalc calculator assesses Pension Credit.
- DWP / UK Parliament, Statutory review of state pension and benefit rates: 2027/28 (HCWS427) ↗, Standard minimum guarantee for 2027-28, Savings Credit maximum, 12 April 2027, full list to follow; also made in the Lords as HLWS436. Published 28 October 2026. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Pension Credit ↗, Separate from State Pension; savings and home ownership; other help. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- Department for Work and Pensions, Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 ↗, Pension Credit weekly rates; updated 16 February 2026. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- Department for Work and Pensions, A detailed guide to Pension Credit for advisers and others ↗, Calculation, capital and deemed income, the home, extra amounts; updated 8 May 2026. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Pension Credit: eligibility ↗, Residence, age, couples, income and savings. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Check your State Pension age ↗. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Pension Credit: what you'll get ↗, Guarantee Credit, extra amounts and Savings Credit. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Pension Credit calculator ↗, No longer available; points to the guide and the application service. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Pension Credit: how to claim ↗, Online, phone and post; what you need; backdating. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- nidirect, Understanding Pension Credit ↗, Northern Ireland's separate guidance. Accessed 8 November 2026.
- GOV.UK, Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) ↗, Paid as a loan, repaid with interest when you sell or transfer your home. Accessed 8 November 2026.
This article is general information, not financial advice. Check your own position before you act.