Over 80 pension

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1. Overview

The over 80 pension is a State Pension for people aged 80 or over.

To be eligible you must get either a basic State Pension of less than £101.55 a week, or no basic State Pension at all.

It can give you £101.55 a week in the 2024 to 2025 tax year.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

2. What you'll get

What you get depends on how much basic State Pension you get, if any.

If you do not get the basic State Pension or you get less than £101.55 a week, you could get the difference paid up to this amount.

For example, you’re 80 years old and you get £43 a week basic State Pension, your basic State Pension may be topped up by £58.55 to £101.55 a week.

3. Eligibility

You cannot get the over 80 pension if you reached State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.

You can claim the over 80 pension if all of the following apply:

  • you’re 80 or over
  • you do not get basic State Pension or your basic State Pension is less than £101.55 a week in 2024 to 2025
  • you were resident in the UK 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
  • you were ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar on your 80th birthday or the date you made the claim for this pension, if later

If you live in or are moving to a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, find out about pensions and benefits for UK nationals in the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Your eligibility for the over 80 pension is not based on National Insurance contributions.

4. How to claim

You can get a claim form from either:

The earliest you can claim is 3 months before your 80th birthday.

Get a claim form from the Pension Service

Call the Pension Service to get a claim form sent to you.

Telephone: 0800 731 7898
Textphone: 0800 731 7339
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 7898
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh language: 0800 731 7936
Welsh language textphone: 0800 731 7013
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays)
Find out about call charges

5. Further information

Effect on other benefits

The over 80 pension counts as taxable income, so it may affect other benefits you’re getting.

You must include the over 80 pension as income if you’re claiming other income related benefits.

If your circumstances change

You must tell the Pension Service if your circumstances change. For example, if you change address or bank details.

If you need more information

You can call the Pension Service if you have more questions about the over 80 pension.

Pension Service
Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Textphone: 0800 731 0464
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0469
British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Welsh language textphone: 0800 731 0456
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (except public holidays)
Find out about call charges

If you cannot call or you live abroad, there are different ways to contact the Pension Service.