What you’re entitled to when you reach State Pension age

Updated 4 June 2026 · A Jolliman guide for the 2026/27 tax year

Reaching State Pension age unlocks a long list of help, and a fair amount of it goes unclaimed every year simply because people don’t know it’s there. Some of it lands automatically. Some of it you have to ask for. And a few of the most valuable bits are the ones most often missed.

This is a plain-English run through what you can claim once you reach State Pension age in 2026, what you get earlier at 60, and what comes later at 75 and 80. Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year. Keep it handy, and pass it on to anyone who might be leaving money on the table.

The short version

• The full new State Pension is now £241.30 a week (about £12,548 a year) after the April 2026 rise (GOV.UK).
• State Pension age is 66, rising to 67 between May 2026 and April 2028.
• Pension Credit tops a single person’s income up to £238 a week and is worth around £3,900 a year, yet hundreds of thousands who qualify never claim it (Age UK).
• From 60 you already get free NHS prescriptions and eye tests in England.

What is the State Pension age in 2026?

For most people the State Pension age is currently 66, and it’s rising to 67 between May 2026 and April 2028 (GOV.UK). The exact date you qualify depends on when you were born. Anyone born on or after 6 April 1962 has a State Pension age of 67.

This date matters for more than your pension. In England it now sets when you get a free bus pass too, so the two have moved up together. If you’re not sure of your own date, you can check it in under a minute using the calculator at gov.uk/state-pension-age.

How much is the State Pension worth now?

The full new State Pension rose by 4.8% in April 2026 to £241.30 a week, which works out at roughly £12,548 a year (MoneySavingExpert). If you reached State Pension age before April 2016 you’re on the basic State Pension, now £184.90 a week, often topped up by an additional pension.

The yearly increase comes from the triple lock, which lifts the State Pension each April by whichever is highest of average earnings, inflation, or 2.5%.

One thing worth knowing: the tax-free Personal Allowance is frozen at £12,570 until April 2031. The full new State Pension now sits only about £22 below that line. So if you have any other income on top, a small slice of your pension can start to be taxed. It catches a lot of people by surprise.

Could you be missing out on Pension Credit?

Pension Credit is the single most underclaimed benefit for older people, and one of the most valuable. It tops up a single person’s weekly income to £238.00, and a couple’s to £363.25, for 2026/27 (GOV.UK). On average it’s worth about £3,900 a year, yet hundreds of thousands of eligible pensioners never put in a claim.

Here’s why it’s worth ten minutes of your time even if your income looks slightly too high. Pension Credit is a gateway. Claiming it can also unlock a free TV licence if you’re over 75, help with Council Tax, the Warm Home Discount, and help towards glasses and dental costs. A modest top-up can therefore be worth a great deal more once everything else it opens up is added in.

You can check eligibility and apply through the Pension Credit calculator on GOV.UK, or call the Pension Credit claim line. Savings and a private pension don’t automatically rule you out, so it’s always worth checking rather than assuming.

What help is there with energy and winter bills?

Every household over State Pension age gets the Winter Fuel Payment again for winter 2026/27, worth £200 to £300 depending on your age (GOV.UK). The catch is that if your income is over £35,000, the taxman now claws it back through your tax code.

If you’d rather not take a payment that will only be reclaimed, you can opt out by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre. That option has been available since April 2026.

On top of that, two more schemes are worth knowing about:

• The Warm Home Discount takes £150 off your electricity bill over winter. The scheme reopens in October 2026 (Age UK).
• The Cold Weather Payment pays £25 for each seven-day spell of very cold weather, if you’re on Pension Credit or certain other benefits.

Warmth matters for more than comfort once you’re older, so none of this is money to leave behind. If you’re sorting the house out for the colder months, our guide to staying warm and comfortable through winter covers the practical side too.

What free and discounted travel can you get?

In England, your free bus pass now starts at State Pension age, so it’s moving from 66 to 67 along with the pension itself (Age UK). Where you live makes a real difference here.

• In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, free bus travel starts at 60.
• In London, the 60+ Oyster photocard gives free travel on buses, the Tube and most rail from age 60.
• In the rest of England, you wait until State Pension age.

For the railways, the Senior Railcard is open to anyone aged 60 or over. It costs around £30 a year and takes a third off most fares, so it usually pays for itself in a couple of journeys. You buy it online or at a staffed station with proof of age.

What about free health care and prescriptions?

If you’re 60 or over in England, you already get free NHS prescriptions and free NHS eye tests, with no need to be retired or on benefits, age alone is enough (Age UK). The eye test is usually offered every two years. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, prescriptions are free at any age.

There are also free NHS vaccines aimed squarely at older adults that many people don’t realise they qualify for. The shingles vaccine is offered from age 65, and the RSV vaccine is offered to older adults, with the over-80s added from 2026. A quick word with your GP surgery will confirm whether you’re due either one.

Two more to file away for later:

• A free TV licence is available from age 75, but only if you receive the Guarantee element of Pension Credit, which is another good reason to check your Pension Credit entitlement.
• An NHS Health Check is free for everyone aged 40 to 74, a simple way to keep an eye on your heart, blood pressure and risk of diabetes.

Extra help if you need a hand at home

If age, illness or a disability means you need help looking after yourself, Attendance Allowance is one of the most overlooked payments going. It’s worth £76.70 or £114.60 a week for 2026/27, it’s tax-free, and it isn’t means-tested, so your savings and pension make no difference to it (Age UK).

You don’t need to have a carer to claim it, and you can spend it however helps you most, whether that’s a cleaner, a gardener, or a taxi to appointments.

A couple of others worth a look:

• Council Tax Reduction can cut your bill if you’re on a low income, and a single person living alone gets 25% off automatically.
• The Christmas Bonus is a one-off £10 paid in early December to people getting the State Pension and certain other benefits. It lands automatically.

Your entitlements at a glance

Because so much of this is tied to a particular age, here’s a quick reference for what becomes available and when.

From this age	What you can claim
60	Free NHS prescriptions and eye tests (England); Senior Railcard; free bus travel in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London
65	Free shingles vaccine
State Pension age (66, rising to 67)	State Pension; free bus pass (rest of England); Winter Fuel Payment; Pension Credit; Christmas Bonus
75	Free TV licence (if on Pension Credit)
80	RSV vaccine; a small age addition to the older basic State Pension
Any age, if you need care	Attendance Allowance (over State Pension age); Council Tax Reduction

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to claim my State Pension, or does it start automatically?

It doesn’t start automatically. You should get a letter about four months before you reach State Pension age inviting you to claim, and you can do it online, by phone or by post. If you don’t claim, your pension is simply deferred, which can increase the amount later but means nothing is paid in the meantime.

Will I pay tax on my State Pension?

The State Pension itself is taxable, but tax is only due if your total income goes over the Personal Allowance of £12,570, frozen until 2031. The full new State Pension of £241.30 a week sits just under that line, so many people pay no tax. Add other income, though, and some of it may be taxed.

Is it worth claiming Pension Credit if I only qualify for a small amount?

Almost always, yes. Even a small Pension Credit award acts as a gateway to a free TV licence at 75, help with Council Tax, the Warm Home Discount and more. The average claim is worth around £3,900 a year once everything it unlocks is counted, so a quick check on GOV.UK is time well spent.

Why is my friend in Wales getting a free bus pass before me?

Because the rules differ across the UK. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland offer free bus travel from 60, and London from 60 on the Oyster photocard. In the rest of England, the free bus pass is tied to State Pension age, which is rising from 66 to 67.

A good time to check what’s yours

The single biggest takeaway is to check, not assume. Hundreds of thousands of people miss out on Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance every year, and both can be worth thousands. Ten minutes with the calculators on GOV.UK, or a free call to Age UK, could be the best-paid ten minutes of your week.

At Jolliman we’ve been looking after the practical side of later life since 1966, from comfortable, hard-wearing clothing to home essentials that make everyday jobs easier. If you’d like more straightforward guides like this one, along with our latest arrivals, request a free catalogue or browse the range.

Figures are for the 2026/27 tax year and were correct at the time of writing in June 2026. Rules and amounts change, and everyone’s circumstances are different, so please check the official details at GOV.UK or with Age UK before acting. This guide is general information, not financial advice.