Pension Credit and help for disabled people
Updated 20 November 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit/pension-credit-and-help-for-disabled-people
If someone has a disability and applies for Pension Credit, they may be entitled to extra money and may need to know who to contact.
Disability benefits
If someone has a disability they might be eligible for help through one of the 4 main benefits for disabled people:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA is being replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabled people.
Someone can only make a new DLA claim if they are under 16.
An adult might be getting DLA if they were under 65 when they claimed.
There are 2 components to DLA:
- the care component
- the mobility component
The care component of DLA is paid at 3 different weekly rates, depending on how the disability affects someone:
- higher rate £108.55
- middle rate £72.65
- lowest rate £28.70
The mobility component of DLA is paid at 2 different weekly rates:
- higher rate £75.75
- lower rate £28.70
These can be paid at different rates depending on the level of needs someone has and can continue to be paid after the age of 65 if the entitlement conditions continue to be satisfied.
DLA is tax free. It is not means-tested and getting it will not reduce entitlement to Pension Credit.
Read more about DLA for adults.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
PIP is for people who are aged 16 or over and have not reached State Pension age.
PIP is usually paid every 4 weeks and can be paid if you’re in or out of work. It is made up of 2 components (parts). Whether you get one or both of these depends on how your condition affects you.
Daily living component weekly rate:
- standard – £72.65
- enhanced – £108.55
Mobility component weekly rate:
- standard – £28.70
- enhanced – £75.75
PIP is tax free and is not treated as income when Pension Credit is worked out.
PIP was introduced for new claims in parts of the north of England from 8 April 2013, and nationwide from June 2013. Existing DLA claimants who were aged 16 to 64 on 8 April 2013, or reach age 16 after that date, are gradually being invited to claim PIP. If you’re already receiving DLA, you can find more through the ‘DLA is ending’ leaflet.
Read about PIP.
Attendance Allowance
If someone is State Pension age or over, and not getting DLA or PIP, they may be entitled to Attendance Allowance if they have needs in relation to personal care or require supervision to stay safe. There is no mobility component to Attendance Allowance.
Attendance Allowance is paid at 2 different weekly rates, depending on how the disability affects someone:
- higher rate £108.55
- lower rate £72.65
Attendance Allowance is tax-free. It is not means-tested and getting it will not reduce entitlement to Pension Credit.
Read more about Attendance Allowance.
Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
AFIP provides financial support to service personnel and veterans seriously injured as a result of service to cover the extra costs they may have as a result of their injury. Individuals awarded a Guaranteed Income Payment of 50% or higher under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme will be eligible.
Those eligible will receive a flat rate equivalent to the enhanced rates of both components (mobility and daily living) of PIP.
The AFIP weekly rate is £184.30.
AFIP is not treated as income when Pension Credit is worked out.
Read more about AFIP.
Extra Pension Credit for severely disabled people or carers
If someone gets Attendance Allowance or the middle or highest rate care component of DLA, PIP, Scottish Adult Disability Payment or AFIP, they may be entitled to extra Pension Credit of £81.50.
If someone gets Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment they may be entitled to extra Pension Credit of £45.60. They may also get this extra Pension Credit if they are entitled to Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment but they are not being paid it, or being paid it at a lower amount than normal, because they are being paid a higher amount by another, income-maintenance benefit such as State Pension (this is called underlying entitlement).
Read about Carer’s Allowance.
Read about Carer Support Payment.
Care homes and paying for care
People who have reached the minimum Pension Credit age while living permanently in care homes may be entitled to Pension Credit.
People should contact their local council if they:
- wish to enter a care home, and
- need financial support
The local council should assess their need for care and should carry out a means test. If appropriate, they should be encouraged to claim any benefits they are entitled to including Pension Credit.
Going into hospital
If someone is getting the severe disability extra amount as part of their Pension Credit, this will normally stop if they spend more than 28 days in hospital. This is the same as when their Attendance Allowance, DLA, or PIP stops.
The carer extra amount may also stop but otherwise their Pension Credit will keep going all the time they are in hospital.
Housing Benefit
Housing Benefit can help pay the rent for people on a low income or claiming benefits. It can help with all or some of the rent. There’s no set amount of Housing Benefit and what somebody will get depends on whether a person rents privately or from a council. A person must be State Pension age to claim it. Read more about Housing Benefit.
Other useful contacts
Carers UK
National charity working on behalf of carers. Offers wide range of information on carers’ rights and sources of help and contact details for local carers’ support groups.
Visit the Carers UK website.
Telephone: 0808 808 7777
Find out about call charges
Citizens Advice
National network of free advice centres. Depending on available resources may offer benefits check and help filling forms.
Visit the Citizens Advice website.
Telephone: 020 7833 2181 (for local contact details only – not telephone advice)
Find out about call charges
The Pension Service
For details of how to claim your State Pension.
Telephone: 0800 731 7898
Textphone: 0800 731 7339
Find out about call charges
Read more about how to contact the Pension Service
Textphones
Textphone numbers are for people who cannot speak or hear clearly. If people don’t have a textphone, they could check if their local Citizens Advice or library has one. Textphones don’t receive text messages from mobile phones.