State pensioners with a severe disability can get up to £344.20 extra every four weeks on top of their State Pension with a single claim.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will pay extra cash to low income pensioners in the form of Pension Credit to help with living costs, but in cases where someone has a severe disability, even more money will be awarded on top. Pension Credit is available to pensioners in England, Scotland and Wales and following a 4.8% uplift in April, the standard weeky rate is now worth £238 for single claimants. The benefit is paid separately to the State Pension, so it provides a top-up to your regular payments, and you can claim it even if you have other income, savings or you own your own home.

And if you have a disability, the DWP will pay up to £86.05 extra per week – on top of the standard £238 weekly rate. As Pension Credit is paid every four weeks, it means eligible pensioners can get up to £344.20 extra cash in every four-week payment period.

The severe disability payment applies to single pensioners, or couples where one person qualifies and over a full year, it amounts to £4,474.60 additional payments from the DWP, on top of Pension Credit.

The DWP says pensioners could get the additional payment if they get any of the following benefits:

• Attendance Allowance
• the middle or highest rate from the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment
• Pension Age Disability Payment
• the middle or highest rate of the care component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance

Not only can pensioners get this extra amount if they have a disability, Pension Credit also opens the door to a wealth of other financial support.

This includes Housing Benefit, a Winter Fuel Payment worth up to £300, a Council Tax discount, a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over, £150 off winter energy bills through the Warm Home Discount Scheme, and help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs.

Confirming the State Pension and Pension Credit increases from April, the DWP said: “The government has already delivered above-inflation increases worth up to £395 in real terms over this Parliament. By its end, pensioners’ annual incomes are expected to rise by up to £2,100 – boosting financial security for millions.

“Pension Credit will also rise by 4.8% and be worth an average of £4,300 a year, unlocking further support including help with housing costs, council tax and free television licenses. Between 2026 and 2027, the government will provide a £6 billion boost to spending on State Pensions and pensioner benefits.”

According to the latest government statistics, only 62% of entitled pensioners are currently claiming Pension Credit, so take-up for the benefit remains relatively low across the UK.

This leaves up to an estimated £2.5billion unclaimed funds annually, which amounts to around £2,600 per year for each claimant entitled to receive it who didn’t claim it.

Given the fact it can open the gate to other valuable entitlements, it’s well worth checking if you’re eligible to claim it. You can apply for Pension Credit up to four months before reaching State Pension age or any time after, but your application can only be backdated by three months. This means you can get up to three months of Pension Credit in your first payment if you were eligible during that time.

As part of a DWP campaign to boost Pension Credit take-up last year, Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: “I’d urge anyone who thinks they, or anyone they know, might be able to claim Pension Credit, to take a few minutes out of their day to check and apply. This country’s pensioners deserve every penny they are entitled to.”