Advice | 32 Comments |
Over 80 Pension
This benefit is dealt with by The Pension Service.
What is the Over 80 Pension?
This is for people aged 80 or over with little or no state pension.
Can you apply?
• If you are aged 80 or over, you live in England, Scotland or Wales, and have done so for at least 10 years out of a 20 year period which must include the day before you turned 80, or any day after.
• If you were ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland on your 80th birthday or the date you made the claim for this pension, if later.
• And you don’t receive any state pension or only a basic state pension of less than £110.75 a week in 2026-2027
Then you should claim Over 80 Pension.
How much is Over 80 Pension?
Only use the amount shown as a guide. The rules for benefits mean that your individual circumstances may affect the amount you can get. This means you will not always be able to work out exactly how much you will get.
Maximum weekly amount – £110.75 a week
If you receive a pension of less than £110.75, your Over 80 pension will bring it up to this amount.
Like other pensions, Over 80 pension counts as taxable income, and may affect the amount of other benefits you can receive.
Other help you may be able to get
Attendance Allowance (AA)
Christmas Bonus
Cold Weather Payment
Income Support
Pension Credits
Winter Fuel Payment
How to claim
You will usually be sent a claim form for Retirement Pension four months before you reach state pension age. If you have not received one three months before, get in touch with your social security office.
For other benefits, claim straight away. If you delay you may lose benefit.
Find your Pension Centre here (external link will open in a new browser tab or window), or look in the phone book under Benefits Agency, Jobcentre Plus, or social security.
Changing circumstances
If you go into hospital or someone you claim for goes into hospital –
• you should tell your Pension Centre as soon as possible.
• nothing will usually happen to your pension straight away. However, if you go into hospital straight from a local council residential care home, it will usually reduce straight away.
• after 52 weeks in hospital, your pension will usually reduce, but if someone is dependent on you it may reduce by less. If you get extra money for your husband or wife and they are in hospital, the extra money you get for them will usually be reduced.
If you go abroad –
• you will continue to get your Over 80 Pension anywhere in the world, but in some countries you may not be able to get the yearly increase in your payments.
• you should let your Pension Centre know as soon as possible.
32 Replies to “Over 80 Pension”
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My mum is 95 and has never had a State Pension due to lack of qualifying years. She is now trying to claim the Over 80s Pension but has already missed 15 years of payments owing to the fact that she was completely unaware of it.
Can anyone tell me how far back her missed payments can be backdated?
Hello Carolyn
As I understand it, the maximum amount that any state pension can be backdated is 12 months. This shows how important it is to keep on top of benefits that you could be entitled to. There are several free online trackers you can use, such as this one from Age UK: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/benefits-calculator/ (external link will open in a new browser tab or window).
Best wishes,
Frances
I have a question….my partner is over 80 and still works as a self-employed piano teacher. She is not eligible for State Pension as she didn’t make any NI contributions in her early years of working. Is she eligible for the over-80s pension? (last year she earned around £18,000)
Thanks
As I understand it, if you don’t get any state pension, you can claim over-80 pension of £101.55 a week. Your partner can use the calculator on the government website to check this out and start the application: https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)
Best wishes,
Frances
I was born in the UK, but I now live in France (since 2002 to be near family) and have been receiving my old age pension since 2002 aged 60! My husband died in 1995 (aged 53) and I waited 7 years after his death before moving to be near my daughter in France. As a widow (1995) my pension was based on my late husband’s record, but this has only given me 90% of a full pension due to his early death and without any of my own contributions or credits taken into account! I did (only)pay the Married Women’s Stamp from about 1963, but also had childcare credits from 1967 to 1990 for three children 1(1967), 2(1969), 3rd (1974). I had hoped that my pension of 90% would have been increased to full by my own record which included childcare?
I am now 80 (17/11/1944) and had hoped that the missing 10% BSP would have been increased on my birthday to 100% BSP on reading various notes regarding this. Your knowledge would be well received – thank you. Mrs. Loretta J.
Hello Loretta
You can claim additional pension when you are over 80, if your existing pension is less than £101.55 per week.
Pension credit is available also, for any pensioner on a low income. This tops you up to £218.15 a week, and I believe you can apply for it from France. There is a calculator on the Government website, here: https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator (external link will open in a new browser tab or window).
Best wishes,
Frances
Please can I have a telephone number to follow up on the over 80’s pension entitlement .
Thank you.
Hello Mrs Davies
You can call the Pension Service to get a claim form sent to you on 0800 731 7898. Alternatively, you can go to your local Jobcentre Plus and get a claim form there.
Best wishes,
Frances
Hi, I recently helped my grandad apply for this pension. Do you know how long it takes to get a reply back?
The state pension does not seem to be subject to the long delays that affect disability benefits which require an assessment. The government website suggests that pension payments are usually made within five weeks of the starting date specified in the application.
Best wishes,
Frances
My brother turned 80 in Feb 2024. He has never received a state pension due to virtually no NI contributions. He did receive pension credit. In 2021 our older brother died and Michael received some money left to him by our older brother. This inheritance meant his pension credit reduced down to £5 per week. Can my brother apply for over 80 state pension if he has savings over £16000? He has lived in the UK since birth. Is the over 80 state pension means tested?
Hello Priscilla
The Over 80 pension is means-tested. Your brother can apply if his income is less than £101.55 a week. The over 80 pension would bring it up to this sum, if he is eligible.
Best wishes,
Frances
I have recently reached my 80th birthday. Like others I am disgusted as 25pextra per week as this wont, buy a loaf of bread, a carton of milk and definitely not butter. My husband dies in 2019 and i has tried to manage since then when his pension ceased. Again Like others I too find this a laugh that this has never been reviewed by the powers that be. Surely they can see the amount of 25p per week must cost more to administer than the worth of the 25pence. I get my pension which I worked for, for approx 40 years, always lived in England and feel I am worth more than 25p per week Is
Is there any hope of an increase to the 25p weekly?
I have returned to live in England after living abroad. I was born in Scotland in 1945 and my family moved to England when I was 6 years old. I was resident in UK from 1945 until 1967 so 22 years plus a year that I will have lived back in the Uk. Will I qualify for the over 80 pension? I do not have a state pension.
Hello John
You can get over 80 pension if you have lived in the UK for at least 10 years out of a 20 year period, which must include the day before you turned 80, or any day after. I fear that your period of residence in Britain is too long ago to qualify.
If your income is modest, you might be eligible for pension credit – https://www.independentliving.co.uk/advice/pension-credit/
I suggest that you use an online benefit calculator, to see what other benefits you could be eligible for. There is a good one here https://www.entitledto.co.uk/ (external link will open in a new browser tab or window)
Best wishes,
Frances
i have been receiving a very small State Pension supplemented by Pension Credit so that it is topped up to about £220 per week. I have just received a letter from the DWP telling me that, from the date when I reach the age of 80, my State Pension will increase substantially. Does this mean that my Pension Credit will be decreased by the corresponding amount, so the total I shall receive will be unchanged?
Hello Cheryl
Yes, pension credit is means tested – it’s designed to top up the income of people who are receiving less than about £220 a week. So if your other pension income increases, you will be eligible for less pension credit, if any.
It is your responsibility to let the DWP know of any change in your income, so that they can adjust the benefit you receive.
Best wishes,
Frances
how long can this pension be backdated? ,is it 12 months
Hello Christine
As I understand it, Over 80 pension can’t be backdated, it can only be claimed going forward.
Best wishes,
Frances
Hi Francis,
thanks for your comments, someone who I advised it was backdated 12 months. which is generally guidance for pension i believe. so it seems a good result.
That’s very good to hear, Christine – thanks for the feedback.
I have applied for my over 80s pension as I do not receive any state pension and I have been resident in the UK for the past 30 years. With my application I also submitted my birth certificate which was returned. It has now been over 8 months since I applied and I have received no further communication. Trying to call them is hopeless as I have typically waited anything between 30 – 60 mins with no reply.
Any suggestions?
Hello
You should certainly not have to wait so long for an answer.
If you can’t get through on the phone, you can write to them:
The Pension Service
Post Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1AF
Make sure you give them all the necessary details to identify your case, and send it recorded delivery.
Best wishes,
Frances
I have been corresponding for a couple of months now call every 2 weeks but get no further. I have lived in England most of my life. I get 24 pence a week.
I have just received an “approaching 80 entitlement” of 25 p per week WOW!! This is `an insult!! My husband died 5 months ago so I am now a widow living in the same house with all the same expenses. etc etc etc
I have spent the afternoon trying to contact your 0800 7310469 line and WHAT A DISGRACE holding 80 year olds on line with no chance of even getting a reply. Tried several times then spent ages on your page and now I am writing. It is the principal of the matter. How dare `anyone in this day and age offer an increase off 25 pence when their husband has passed over and I am left with all the same bills etc etc
You did invite me to oppose this decision – I oppose the way I have been treated in your letter dated 5 June and without going into any other payments etc etc AND AS FOR 25 PENCE MY GOD WHAT A TREAT!! A TV PROGRAMME SHOULD BE INSTIGATED TO SHOW HOW THE ELDERLY ARE BEING TREATED!!
Hello Mary
I am so sorry to hear of your experience – it is incredibly insensitive of the DWP.
If your income is limited, you may be eligible for pension credit – you can read more information about it on this page https://www.independentliving.co.uk/advice/pension-credit/
I hope this helps a bit. Please don’t hesitate to come back to me if there is anything else you would like to ask.
Good luck and best wishes,
Frances
My husband is 82 years old. He does not get State Pension. His only income Attendance Allowance. We are living in UK from 2009. Could he apply for State Pension for age of 80?
Hello Galina
As your husband is over 80 and doesn’t receive State pension, he is eligible, as long as he has been resident in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 10 years out of 20 (this does not have to be 10 years in a row) – this 20 year period must include the day before you turned 80 or any day after. It sounds as though he meets this requirement.
He also has to be ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK on the date you make the claim.
Good luck and best wishes,
Frances
There was something on the news earlier about women who didn’t get the right amount of pension and only get they’re husbands pension. My mum is over the age of 80 and was asking if she would be entitled to any money in her own right from years ago.
Hello Heather
She may well be. If her pension was less than 60% of her husband’s basic state pension before he died, she might have been due a top up. And if her state pension didn’t go up when he died, again she could be entitled to more money, backdated to when he died. It’s explained very well on the Martin Lewis website https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/married-women-missing-state-pension-boost/ (external link will open in a new browser window)
Although the DWP has said they will make payments automatically, you will also find details there on how to check eligibility and make a claim.
Best wishes,
Frances
I am 83 years old my birthdate is November 3, 1936 I am currently living in the United States my husband passed away in 2014 up until that time I was claiming my old age pension from the UK when my husband passed away I notify them that I was now a widow and from then on they sent me the same amount of money that I was previously getting but they now called it widows benefits. Total amount is now £33.59 per week.
By the way I was born in Scotland and left in 1961.
I receive SS $1164.00 per month in the US.That is my total income
I was wondering if I qualify for the over 80 allowance my my allowance right now is £33. 69 per week. If I qualify how can I get the form to claim
Hello Jane
I’m so sorry – you would have to have spent at least 10 of the 20 years before you turned 80 living in the UK, and you would also have to be currently resident in Britain or the European economic area. I think your monthly income is too high to qualify, anyway…
Sorry I can’t give you any better news.
Best wishes,
Frances